The Lost Art of Letter Writing

In a world were millions of e-mails are sent everyday, it's hard to imagine a time in which we didn't have the internet or even computers. While these things have surely enhanced our lives, they have also caused many of us to become lazy and impatient.

No longer do people buy a birthday or holiday card to send. Nowadays it's all about electronic cards.

After all, it's cheaper, right?

Forget taking the time to actually write out a thank you note. These days, many are turning to e-cards to say thanks.

So much for proper etiquette.

And forget sending handwritten letters to one another. Now if you have something to say, sending an e-mail is most popular way to go.

While I won't argue that it's faster (and cheaper) to do things that way, many people, especially those who have grown up with the internet, don't realize how much they're missing out on by doing everything the quick and easy way.

When I was away at college, I received a handwritten letter in the mail from a friend back home. My roommate reacted with surprise, rolling her eyes and asking why we didn't just use e-mail since "it's quicker" and "nobody writes letters anymore."

It took everything within me not to say "oh you poor soul."

Yes, sometimes e-mail is the best way to go, especially when you need an immediate response or want to share some exciting news with as many people as possible in a quick amount of time.

But sometimes, nothing beats getting an old fashioned letter in the mail.

When I was a teenager I used to write to pen pals. I loved opening up the mailbox and getting a letter, handwritten on some sort of cute or fancy stationary. Sometimes stickers would be included, or maybe a postcard of some sort.

Then life got in the way and I stopped pen palling.

Now, 15 years later, I have gone back to this old hobby of mine and have begun writing to a girl in Germany. It still amazes me that two people from two totally different parts of the world can build a friendship through pen and paper, while learning about one another's customs and culture.

Oh, and did I mention that it's nice to get something else in my mailbox besides bills and junk mail?

Even if having a pen pal isn't your thing, it can be a nice change of pace to sit down and write a letter to a friend or family member who you haven't talked to in a while.

Sure, you can send an e-mail telling them "I love you" and "I'm thinking about you," but knowing that someone went out of their way to actually sit down and write a note can really lift a person's spirits.

E-mail may be quick, but much of the time it also leads to grammatically incorrect "letters" because people don't take the time to check their writing before hitting "send." Getting the e-mail to the other person as fast as possible becomes more important than taking the time to check for proper grammar and spelling.

And let's not forget that the internet has dumbed down a lot of people (especially teenagers), causing them to begin using "internet speak" that goes a little something like this: "How r u? Im fine. Wuts up?"

Would you really want to receive a letter like that?

A real letter is also more permanent than an e-mail.

You could save every single e-mail your friend sends, but is that really more fun than pulling out a box from your closet and going through old handwritten letters and cards?

Occasionally you may hear about someone going through old love letters after their spouse has died. It's a way for them to reflect on their life together and the love that they shared.

How romantic.

But today, with the way things are going, in 50 or 60 years, nobody will have old love letters to reflect on. Instead, they'll go to their computers and pull up old e-mails...that is, if they saved them to begin with.

How pathetic.

Writing a real letter is not the same as an automatic response through e-mail. It actually causes you to not only think about what to say, but it also causes you to reflect on your feelings for the person to whom the letter is being sent.

And finally, it gives the recipient something to cherish...a thoughtful, heartfelt letter which will remind them every time they look at it, that they are loved and that somebody does care.

So go give someone a little piece of your heart...write them a real letter today.