Saturday, February 11, 2012

Save The Art Of Handwritten Letters


There are times I am certain my life would be sweeter and simpler without a computer.  Yes, I see the irony here.  
I am slowly unplugging things like Facebook, Instagram and Google+ (although that one was easy)  I just gave up my iphone and went back to a dumbphone. (is that the opposite of smartphone?)  

While I may indulge myself, I have always resisted the idea of children needing to be so wired.  This article here sums up how I feel.

Being the old fashioned mama I am, my girls are practicing their penmanship with cursive.  I hope it will benefit them even if they don't need it later in life.  I desire to instill a love of letter writing and maybe help it not to become a totally lost art.

"A good handwritten letter is a creative act, and not just because it is a visual and tactile pleasure. It is a deliberate act of exposure, a form of vulnerability, because handwriting opens a window on the soul in a way that cyber communication can never do." New York Times

 I made a letter writing folder and hope each of us will write and mail one letter a week.  Who knows maybe we will even get a reply.  That would be very exciting!

12 comments:

  1. Hey I have an idea, I forget how old your girls are but one of my nieces is in grade one. I can ask her tomorrow, but do you think your girls might be interested in being pen pals? The other country aspect might be exciting for them.

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  2. Excellent post! There is something indescribably wonderful about receiving a handwritten letter.

    ~ Cerridwyn

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  3. This teacher and mother definitely approves! I can't tell you how much I love a handwritten letter - - it is a lost art. Bring it back, girls! (coming from someone who was forced to write thank you notes to each gift giver after any birthday or Christmas, before opening up said gift and playing with it...... Now I say, THANKS, MOM!)

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  4. Rueby- sorry when I reply to a comment it is unreadable on a black field! Here is what I replied above-



    We would love that! Pearl is 8 and Grace is 7. Here is my email coedith@gmail.com Let me know if she is interested. Thanks!!

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  5. I think a handwritten note/letter it so lovely but I know that even when I intend to I rarely do it and that makes me sad, good on you for instilling this discipline. When I was a child I used to win competitions for my handwriting, now I can't imagine with my hideous scrawl!

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  6. I agree, I still write letters to my Grandparent's who are in their 90's and don't use a computer. I don't even have a cell phone only a prepaid phone for emergencies, and I still mail out my bills paying for them with personal checks. Your right the internet is great, I would love to receive a letter now and again. Maybe we all should become pen pals?

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  7. I agree with Trina. I would definitely love a pen pal. And should you or your girls like to send me "snail mail" I would respond! I just bought a bunch of pretty note cards and stationary!! :)

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  8. There is nothing better than a hand written letter. A few weeks before my Gran passed away, I went to her house and we were going through letters that my sister and I had written to her. We laughed and reminiced over past memories and it was so lovely. Well done for keeping this art alive.
    x Molly

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  9. Love the idea of writing one letter a week to someone. And waiting to see if I get any replies. You inspire me to go out today and buy some nice paper and write.

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  10. I have been writing alot of letters and I've been posting about it on m blog . I've also been getting my kids involved in writing letters to family for general conversation or to say thankyou ! My kids have even got fancy letters from family members that they have sent letters too an the kids have been anticipating mail ever since ! It's nice to open your mail box and not always see bills !

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  11. Oh my goodness! I wrote a post about this last year called "Nothing Better Than A Handwritten Letter" http://therealninnymuggins.blogspot.com/2011/01/nothing-better-than-hand-written-letter.html
    Receiving mail is so much fun! I try to write a letter at least once a week. It really can mean to world to someone.

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