Nothing gives greater pleasure than a letter penned by hand. Paper and pen still have their magic. We still entrust them with our dearest wishes and innermost thoughts and dreams.
~ Kate's Paperie With Bo Niles
Above and below - Wedding cards
Life would split asunder without letters.
~ Virginia Woolf
Birthday card for a dear friend.
I love to make special occasion cards like these above although I must be honest and tell you that I don't make as many as I did prior to blogging! This will change in 2009 ~ back to the drawing board, literally! I also plan to write more letters by hand. I still have older friends in England who don't use a computer and perhaps never will. They will be the recipients of a letter during the year, not just a note written inside their birthday or Christmas card.My recent post By Hand has opened Pandora's box, though hopefully there are no evils inside! There are several of you out there who are are excited about hand writing a letter to a blog friend. Some of you are already pairing up and planning to write with pen and ink. Maybe that letter will drop on your doormat or peek from your mailbox soon. Can we return to days of the 'pen pal' and look forward once again to the post/mail arriving at our home with something other than those bills and junk mail?
And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~ W.H.Auden
I often wonder what would happen if the Internet collapsed permanently and we could no longer e-mail. Many of the younger generation have never penned a real letter full of news about their lives. I have always encouraged children to write letters by providing the necessary accouterments. A great gift at any time is a box with some attractive paper and envelopes, personalized return address labels, seals, stickers, a nice pen and a roll of stamps. Of course children today may need you to sit with them when they first put pen to paper. Encouragement, praise and patience to compose and execute a well written letter will be needed.........after all, this may be a totally new experience for them.
I hope you will write a letter to someone. You don't need to have perfect penmanship. You can use a modern roller ball pen if you don't posses a fountain pen and ink. Nice writing paper and envelopes will bring a smile to the recipient's face, or you can use a sheet of composition book paper, even a notepad. Your letter does not need to be long and rambling, even short notes are enjoyable. You may not be an artist (however I believe everyone can make a squiggle that often looks better than a million dollar painting!), but you can attach a sticker or rubber stamp an impression to add some pizazz. Whatever you choose, the recipient of your letter will be happy. You will be sharing something very personal that has come from your heart and hand.
Letters give life a rich dimension. They can be saved, savored, reread and treasured for hundreds of years.
~ Alexandra Stoddard
-crop.JPG)
Hello there! I am so happy to see you have posted about hand written notes and letters. I, for one, am inspired to do this. And toward that effort, I rummaged around in storage boxes yesterday to find a box of note paper/envelopes I've had for ages.
ReplyDeleteAs I looked in old boxes of "stuff" I have collected, my heart stopped - then it melted - as I found a hand-written letter from my beloved father- written before his death almost 22 years ago! His handwriting, while far from perfect or even pretty - was distinctive, strong like he was. What a treasure! And I realized, my own handwriting is far from pretty or perfect, but may just give my grandchildren a smile, IF I actually write to them - and not just email.
ReplyDeleteThis was actually on my list of "do-solutions" for this year (not using the dreaded word "resolution" LOL)
So, thank you for bringing this idea to light! Hopefully, letters will be saved, read and re-read and bring a smile and a warm heart to those long after we have left this earth!
Colleen
Such a beautiful post Mary! I agree - receiving a nice hand written letter in the mail is wonderful. When my children were at school, I use to add a tiny little note with each lunch when they stayed at school to eat. Now with Kate living away from home we continue to write letters to each other ... even though we are on the phone or internet constantly :-) There is something so comforting in going to the Post box and seeing a letter waiting!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Mary,
ReplyDeleteYou are inspiring me to write - in spite of my poor handwriting. I do write to Nicholas every week in care of his preschool. They have a letter-writing program and have a little mailbox in the classroom to receive the letters from the children's friends and family. The children get their letters from the mailbox each Friday. I always put stickers on his envelope and letter and try to include a photo of something the class will enjoy. An added bonus - his teacher takes time to write back to the letter writer.
I had a very dear aunt who, although her eyesight was so bad, she would write to me at least once a month - pages of handwritten words of love. I have those letters tucked away in a special place to read once in awhile.
Oh, this is getting long and it's time for me to begin the second round of my yummy drink.
I am so appreciative for your phone call last night. Thank you for caring.
Much love,
Deborah
Remember scented stationary? Mine was the original Estee Lauder fragrance.
ReplyDeleteJanet
I have often thought of blogging as the modern form of having pen pals....Although I will admit it is great to have instant gratification through blogging, receiving a hand written letter in the mail is a million times better. I have been purchasing wonderful cards from many of the artists in blogland this past year. I think I will go out and look for wax and seal. I just might start writing a little more this year. Thank you Mary, for inspriring me.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Penny
Hi Mary:
ReplyDeleteI have a pen pal in England, and have had since we were both 8 years old. A very longggg time. We both now have computers, so we email now. It is nice to stay in touch more often but you are right about missing the mail. I send only cards now. I must say, my writing is not very good anymore, so it is probably for the best.
Have a good day.
Nancy
I absolutely agree with you about handwritten letters, I still write a lot of letters to friends and family, I'm more comfortable with pen and ink than with e-mail though I do use e-mails for quick notes. People who don't write letters miss out on all the pleasures of receiving the replies in their own mailboxes.
ReplyDeleteHello Mary, I am so thinking about writing a lovely letter again. It has been a long time since I have given myself time to write about my daily activities. I used to write to many family members and friends and often. Times have changed but you have charged me up to write once again. I do have the most lovely antique desk to use with the cutest drawers and cubby holes. I am inspired.
ReplyDeleteWe have a saying in our family with these letters. JDI 'just do it'
Love and hugs...Jeanne
PS I forgot to mention that you have the most beautiful hand writing.
Dear Mary
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that you post about letters. Just today I received a lovely present and a long hand written letter from a dear friend. I was so touched that I posted about it tonight.
I love writing but spelling was not my favorite. I'm getting better and better and thank goodness for spell check lol
Thank you for the "love" letters.
Claudie from Canada
I wrote you a very long comment? did you not post it yet?
ReplyDelete