The Art of the Written Word

I watched a Hallmark movie last night about how meaningful letters are. Be it a first letter home from college, a birthday card with $20 in it from your dad, a love note, or a last letter home from Afghanistan, letters are priceless. They have their own personality. They carry messages of holiday cheer, mournful comfort, or thinking of yous. They come in all forms. Today's modern letters are short, in Times New Roman, and automatically "corrected", but they still hold that same spirit of the old fashioned handwritten letter.

My first year of college, three of my close friends and I decided to exchange handwritten letters. We went on a special shopping trip before we went our separate ways and gathered up monogrammed stationary, colorful cards, and stamps. We bid farewell promising lengthy letters detailing our college adventures. I sent out 3 letters my first week of classes and received 3 back a week later. But that only lasted for about a month. Life got in the way. The wait between letters seemed too long and we'd forget whose turn it was to send one. The hardest part was waiting for the Pony Express to deliver.

There is definitely something special about opening the mailbox and finding that letter you have been waiting for. I also found that we talked about things that we wouldn't talk about over text. Things that simply can't be condensed to 140 characters or translated into "text speak".

 

My friend's personalities really came across in their handwriting. Throughout the long letters, I could tell which parts were hard for them to write, which parts they wanted to emphasize. Some letters jumped from one thought to another, while others were very structured and had correct grammar.  The communication felt much more real. Another thing about hand written letters- there's no spell check. Or back button (if you write in pen like I did). I know my letters were filled with little doodles in the margins.

 

Below are some of my favorite cards:

Items featured:

Fresh Monogram Folded Note Card // Chevron Monogram Folded Note Card

Betty Pink Personalized Folded Notecard // Whale Repeat Navy Personalized Folded Notecard

So take the time today to write that letter you have been waiting to write. If you don't have anyone to write a letter to, address one to your future self.

 

Do you still write handwritten letters?

 

xoxoxo

 

The Girl in the Argyle Sweater

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