Writing ...a forgotton art?

Today I received a letter in the post, one of those old fashioned letters written by hand. Remember those - handwritten letters in handwritten envelopes? Letters written with pen and ink! It’s a real treat to receive one of those particularly when it’s from a friend I haven’t heard from for ages. For me there’s something about receiving a personal letter (official letters, utility bills and credit cards statements don't generate the same excitement!). I enjoy writing letters and I enjoy receiving them too. I love to hear the sound of letters dropping on the mat and what a joy to see a handwritten one amidst the pile of junk mail, especially after a busy day at work. How lovely it is to sit down and read it, once or twice especially if there is something in it that makes you smile.

With the advent of instant communication, email, texting and tweeting, I wonder if the art of handwriting will decline over the years. Will letter writing and penmanship become a forgotten art of the 21st century? I hope not. So I encourage you this week to write an old fashioned letter to a friend, a relative, someone you know, someone you would like to know, someone you care about, perhaps someone who hasn’t heard from you for a long time. Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing and you may be pleasantly surprised by who writes back.

Go on, grab a pen and paper and scribble a few lines today.