The Forgotten Art of Letter Writing

Take me to an office supply store and it’s hard to get me to leave. I love walking through the aisles with pens and markers and browsing the sections with notecards and fine stationery. It is my way of holding on to a type of communication that is all but lost today – corresponding by writing a letter.

In this age of electronic communication, whether it is by text, email or social media messaging, most of us have turned away from taking the time to write a handwritten note or letter. I’d like to suggest that you give it a try.

There is a personal connection that is solidified when you take the time to write a personal note. It is a great way to start a new relationship (sending a signal that this is important to you) or to keep an old friendship going. I recently wrote a letter to a friend I hadn’t seen in a while and although we communicate via text and social media, she actually called me to say how much it meant when my letter arrived.

Writing letters can be therapeutic, a chance to put your thoughts into words to share with someone else, but also for yourself. It can help you grieve, share gratitude and get clarity. Just the process of handwriting a letter is a good cognitive exercise for memory retention, reading fluency and language processing skills.

Letters are tangible, they can be kept, cherished and revisited. They serve as a record of the special relationship you share. Letters also give you space to explain your feelings without expecting an immediate response and offers the recipient time to process and formulate their own response. A win-win!

Who do you know that you could make smile by sending a handwritten letter? Think about it and then, when you do, take yourself to a stationery store and have at it.