Take the Time to Write

Do you remember the last time you penned a personal letter? Not an email, not a text message, but an old fashioned, hand-written letter, bearing a first class stamp?

Do you remember the last time you waited to receive such a letter, one identified by the penmanship and the faint scent of a loved one?

We have replaced the anticipation of a personal missive with the instantaneous receipt of an email; the sweet excitement of a message dressed in the personal style of another's script for the efficiency of a message written in multiple abbreviations.

We have lost the art of letter writing, and with it, a crucial vehicle for communicating appreciation, celebration, creativity, and love.

I am contemplating this loss of expression because I just discovered that January 8-14 is Universal Letter Writing Week.

I expected that the cynical among us might say that this event is just another transparent attempt of greedy greeting card companies to separate us from our thinning funds. But, I am not talking about buy a card that will say it for us. I'm imploring us to slow down, get a cup of tea, take out a lovely sheet of paper, an ink pen that scrolls,  and put our feelings and thoughts into words, and our words onto papier.

I'm suggesting we reinstitute time for reflection, introspection, feeling, and expression by making space in our lives for the entire intimate experience of letter-writing. This week, honor your relationship with a loved one by writing a personal letter. These days a letter is a priceless gift.