The Lost Art Of Letter Writing
Today’s blog won’t be about pens. In recognition of National Handwriting Day being this Saturday, I thought I’d change things up a little bit and share this. The following is a letter from a dear friend and customer of ours that took the time to send in this wonderful letter called “The Lost Art of Letter Writing”. You can read it in the images, seeing her lovely handwriting, or you can read it in the text below.
“Facebook, Twitter, texting and tweeting signal a time of instant response and reaction but no competition for the joy of receiving a handwritten note! A daily check of our mailboxes reveals bills, advertisements, solicitations but only an occasional, carefully written handwritten note. Friends and relatives living far away may e-mail or telephone but few are in the habit of turning to pen and paper.
The days of letter writing seem to have joined the pattern of ‘dropping in’ on friends and gathering on the front porch to keep in touch. We don’t seem to share experiences and develop bonds that we treasure to keep us alive and well.
I am not ready to let this old fashioned way of connecting disappear! The passion for writing, for sitting down and imagining the presence of a beloved old friend or relative and conversing on paper as if that person were in the room is a joy forever.
The beautiful colors and silky feel of fine stationery and the incomparable pleasure of fine pens lives on! What a treat it is to peruse in my favorite stationery shop (Bertram’s Inkwell) and find just the right pattern, color and designs! How sweet it is to find just the right message on a greeting card that touches the heart of a loved one!
There is a very special chair in a book lined room that beckons me. My trusty pen skips happily across the paper.
The impressions of changing seasons, the challenges of everyday life, the unexpected pleasures of surprise niceties, the joy of travel, the thank you to those who always have our backs, difficult times and our triumphs; all of these are so easily recorded in these notes from the heart. Perhaps, there might be a beautifully lettered sign at the entrance to treasured stationery shops. In bold letters, we might see ‘Care of the Soul’.
I correspond with a varied group of old friends and family. The ages, stages and situations differ but there is a common thread. Each has been there to support my victories and soothe the pain of sad times. We have laughed together across the miles, lightened the load of troubling times and mused about the observations of everyday stuff.
The art of communication, the beauty of caring words and memorable thoughts can make a tremendous difference, especially at challenging times. The letter box collection of messages that comforted, complimented, celebrated and confirmed the human connection will be with us always.
The next time it is possible to wander at will to find just the right and appealing paper and pen, to appreciate the enthusiasm for the passion of writing at Bertram’s Inkwell, I will hope that some of you have rediscovered the lost art of letter writing.”
