LETTER WRITING: A Lost Art

Not so long ago, before technology made our lives easier, people wrote letters. An art that seems to have gone the way of the pet rock and saving bottle tops.

Letter writing an art? Yes, actually, it was. Still is, for those who still practice it. Now, I'm not talking about sending a lengthy e-mail. I'm talking about, sitting down with pen and paper, and writing a letter.

When I was in grade school, we learned how to write letters. Letters like, thank you notes, long letters to a pen pal, or just an I miss you letter to a far away relative.

I remember going to the Five and Dime, store, and buying fancy writing paper. I had tablets and boxes of the stuff. Some with a modern design. Some that were just colored. I would spend hours choosing the right paper. It was the first step to the art.

We also always kept boxes of greeting cards on hand. Cards for every occasion. Birthday cards, get well cards and just about any other occasion you can think of.

I would use my best penmanship, on every card and letter. Even neater than I used in school. I would fill the recipient in on everything going on, in my corner of the world. I always wrote if something good had happened to me. Sometimes when something sad happened, as well.

Thank You cards have all but disappeared, these days. When I was younger, and I still do it, I always sent a thank you note. Even if the recipient lived next door. It was something every good person did. It acknowledged a gift, and showed great manners.

Every year I give my mail carrier a Christmas gift. And every year I get back a beautiful thank you card. Usually hand written. This is the only thank you card I generally receive all year. It's not that the gifts I give are bad, I give really good gifts. I don't know when, but people just stopped sending thank you notes.

Nothing is nicer than sitting down, with a hot cup of tea, and reading a long letter. It's relaxing. You really get to catch up with someone through writing letters.

You know, it really isn't expensive to send a letter. In fact, it's a lot cheaper than a long distance phone call. And you can go on and on, without having to watch the clock. It doesn't have to take much time, either. You can jot down a few pages in no time. Once you get going.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic