The lost art
This has come up in several conversations over the last week so I decided to blog about it.
Yesterday, I wrote a letter to an old friend. Now I didn't hand write it; it was 1200 words typed. It felt good and in all honesty I've been trying to compose it for 4 months but could never find the words.
How many of you still send letters? Real letters through the postal service I mean. Not emails or text messages or video messages but good old fashioned letters. I do believe it's becoming a lost art.
I have a letter from a former employee of my parents who worked for us when I was about 14. When she retuned to college she wrote me. I have letters from my mom and grandma from when I worked at camp I have letters from people I camped with, letters from college friends, letters from other friends.
Letter writing can be a useful tool. In college I was sent a letter from a friend who disagreed with a decision myself and some others had made. Not certain how to handle it I asked a professor for some advice. She said "write him a letter back. That way you can express your opinion with being interrupted or questioned directly while you are trying to explain your decision. You'll have time to make certain you are understandable and it helps take any emotions out of the conversation and prevents you from saying something you will regret because you can re-read and edit if necessary."
So that's what I did. He and I never discussed the situation face to face, but I heard through a mutual friend that he much appreciated the way I handled it. We reconciled through a letter.
Letters also can deeply encourage. I have a favorite letter. It's one I received from a friend as part of a birthday gift almost three years ago. It lists numerous qualities about me that my friend enjoyed. It made me get a little teary, then and now. I love that letter because it shows me who I am from the eyes of another, I'm not weighted down in my own judgment of my faults. I view myself through my friend. That helps to pick me up on bad days.
And here is something I love about letters. You don't have to send them. That letter I composed yesterday will not be seen by the person to whom I wrote. The letter was to them, but it was for me. A way to express myself to them and yet not burden them with my emotions and dreams. They can live their life never knowing, and I got to release some of my baggage.
I encourage you to write a letter, maybe you won't want to send it, maybe you will. But brighten someone's day or maybe just ease your own load with a letter. The effects will last for years.
May God bless you on your journey
Two stories for you: my hubby and I flew to Hawaii for our 10th anniversay and I was hand writing Christmas letters on the incredibly long flight. My seat mate just gaped at me and couldn't believe anyone wrote letters anymore. I said, "what else is going to fill all this time!? It's the perfect opportunity- my kids aren't here to distract me, it's not like I can get up and go do the dishes or the laundry, etc!" Talk about writers' cramp. ;)
ReplyDeleteOne thing I loved most about camp was the bucket notes we did at the end of each summer. We wrote a note to every staff member, uplifting them and reminding them of what made them special to us. It got hard when the staff grew to almost 40 people, but they are SO FUN to go back and read when it's a gray day of life. Even just dumping them out of their ziplock bag onto the bed and seeing all the different scrawls and scribbles is enough to brighten my day.
So here's your bucket note, Mike: I love your ever-ready smile, your sweet soaring voice, your arm slung over my shoulder. I love your curly hair and your sunny disposition and how you're always ready to listen. You are a good friend. You are valued, and you matter. Thanks for being you, and thanks for being real and vulnerable and honest and open when you're blogging. You make me want to do better, too. xoxo!