Remember the Magic and Power of Letters

Letter writing doesn’t have to be a lost art. (Photo by Canva)

When is the last time you received a letter? I’m not talking about an email or a text, or even a blog post like this one. I’m talking about the old-fashioned kind where someone took the time to put pen to paper to send you their thoughts and reflections, then put it in an envelope, slapped a stamp on it and sent it through the good old US Postal Service.

Over the last few months I’ve been exchanging letters like that with one of my old college friends, and it has brought me great joy. It’s such a delight to hear about his work and family, what it’s like for him to be a physician in the Pacific Northwest, to be a husband and daddy to two adorable young daughters, and even about his hobbies and dreams.

It seems like in years past we used to all take the time to share ourselves with each other a bit more, to think before we sent our thoughts with the immediacy of a text or a tweet, only to regret words we can never get back. Forethought is a lost art for so many these days, and we are suffering as a result of it. Not only are we quicker to offend without it, but we are also robbing ourselves of the connections we used to build up over time, and these connections are needed now more than ever before.

Remember the special letters and cards you used to receive, the ones you likely have stored in a box somewhere from a trusted friend, a secret lover, a beloved grandparent or an encouraging teacher. They knew the magic letters possessed, the power and import their words could carry beyond the moment they wrote them. I cherish those letters to this day, as I’m sure you do too.

Now do yourself a favor and take the time to craft one of those dispatches yourself and send it to someone you cherish. If you bravely open your heart a bit wider and are very lucky, you may just get one of those special folded paper gifts in the mail yourself.

Happy letter writing!
Jathan