Reviving the lost art of writing letters…or simply writing!
Someone once said…
“Be careful of the words you say,
Keep them short and sweet.
You never know, from day to day,
Which ones you’ll have to eat.”
As true as this sounds, why have we reached an era where we are not mindful of the words we say anymore?… where we take the freedom of speech for granted… where we pass a nonchalant apology if the tongue utters something it did not ought to…
Perhaps because we have taken the power of the written word for granted. And when I say written, I mean picking up a pen in the literal sense and writing words down on paper. Because the act of actually writing makes you ‘commit’ and the words you scribble will always be imprinted on the sheet as there is no option to erase or backspace but to simply strikethrough.
There was once a beautiful era, where letters were written and exchanged and long-awaited for. Where a mother awaited the news of her son’s safekeeping at war… an anxious wife awaited the letter of her husband’s arrival… where a lover nervously declared and committed his sentiments and waited impatiently for a favorable response… where doves carried the exchange of secret codes… where the power of the written hand was revered.
There is something so beautiful and calming in writing and seeing something written. The way the hand glides over the white sheet leaving behind a jet of trailing ink as it scribbles and moves ahead, forming curves and lines of the same alphabets that we learned in kindergarten whilst our hands were held… the mood, the character, the effort behind those written words cannot be hidden from the reader and speaks more than what the mere words try to convey.
In order to physically write, the mind has to form a meaningful sentence with appropriately chosen words before the pen nib touches the sheet. Once the ink drops itself on that sheet of paper, there is no going back but to start again. And it was this habit, that made people unconsciously mindful of what they spoke of as well. Well-formed, articulated sentences were respected and exchanged in opposition to the current era where people have forgotten to acknowledge the person standing right in front of themselves because they are so busy with the little device in their hand.
Today there seems to be no respect for what is said or worse even written. You have the option to delete a message even if it has already been sent! Even worse you have the option to read a message and choose not to reply until your convenience since you have the option to prevent the tick from turning blue! (You know what I am talking about!) The digital world has weakened our links and connections to one another. I completely agree that it has made distant connections easier to bridge, but somewhere there is that lingering lack of respect and kinship. Today it seems alright not to answer a loved one’s phone call or to avoid replying to a worried parent’s questioning.
We know technology has been a boon and a bane. It has definitely made communication and work easier and more productive. But what if you left it for a while and went back to that beautiful time of writing letters…of taking the efforts to write what we feel and truly mean… and wait excitedly for the reply… to give yourself the joy of writing and reading.
If writing letters seems overwhelming, why not leave short sweet notes for your loved ones and colleagues. You know how special you feel when you discover a personal handwritten note. Even a simple ‘Thank you, ‘Sorry’ or ‘I love you’ left by the bed, on the lunch box, or over the fridge can bring a smile and warm blessings straight from the heart that is incomparable to even the costliest gift in the world.
Let us try to revive that connection with one another. Let us cherish each relationship and moment that we have.
I can only urge you to try… or at least be more receptive and responsible for what we speak and write. The onus is on us to leave a more meaningful and respected world for our generations to come.
Till then I can only hope and wish for the best and leave you with the thoughts of a cherished world full of beautiful words, notes, and letters.
Yours truly…
Sending lots of healthy and happy wishes your way. ?
P.S.- If you like what I share, consider Subscribing to stay connected. I do NOT spam. Promise! ?
Also, please leave a comment and share the article with your loved ones. Sharing is Caring!
Feel free to ask a question or leave a suggestion as well. I am always open to learning. ?
