Imprinting Something of Yourself On a Piece of Paper

Or, the worth of a handwritten note

I’ve been doing a lot of spring cleaning (or summer cleaning, I guess). This includes going through stacks of paperwork, letters, cards, and even collections of recipes torn out of magazines. At least the recipes were easy – I’m severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, so anything containing those I could put on the recycle pile.

However, I don’t throw out any cards or handwritten letters – even if they belonged to my mother or grandparents. It is bittersweet to see Christmas cards addressed to our family by people who are no longer with us. Of some I only have a vague recollection as I last saw them when I was small. And I realised that I truly miss sending cards and letters - proper handwritten ones.

With the postal strike dragging on and on and on... and on, it is difficult to send letters or cards anywhere, and I hope that the private companies will become more affordable. This is also why most people are switching to only electronic communication even for personal letters, I expect. But looking at all the cards containing so many memories – the condolences, birthdays, Christmases, and weddings, I decided to make an effort to give more cards. To write letters as often as I can. To reach out to people.

Sending an email or instant message to friends in other parts of the world is absolutely wonderful, but I’m starting to miss the way in which a handwritten letter or note can touch your heart – because you know that someone took extra time to write it. It is as if something of the person is imprinted on the paper along with the pen marks.

So, on Handwriting Day 2015, I am making a promise to myself to write more, to share more, to give a personal touch wherever I can to show that my ‘thank you’ is not simply something I type and send in a few seconds and then forget about, but something I truly mean and want to take time to express.

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