The Forgotten Art of Handwritten Letters

May 15, 2015 Michelle Griep

Guess what I got in the mail this week. No, not another credit card application or an invitation from AARP. Not even a twofer pizza dealio or yet another bank statement that I'll just ignore. I got a letter. A for-real, bonafide, not-a-crappy-piece-of-junk-mail handwritten letter. And it was a dang glorious feeling as I slit open the envelope and pulled out a swirly-twirly cursive greeting just for me. Why would someone take the trouble or why should you put the effort into sending just such a note to someone else?

5 Reasons Why You Should Send a Handwritten Note

1. It shows that you care.
It takes like two seconds to pop off a text or shoot an email to someone. Making the effort to lug out a notecard, address and stamp an envelope, and jot down your sentiments longhand shows the recipient that you really do care about them.

2. A letter is timeless.

Handwritten cards don't disappear when a computer crashes or the electricity goes kaputz. Think about all the letters preserving history in museums.

3. It makes you, the writer, feel good.

Besides the satisfaction of knowing you're going to make someone very happy, science links note writing to happiness.

4. It requires you to unplug, even if only for a little while.

Your eyeballs will thank you, and so will your brain as you focus without popping over to Facebook or Twitter.

5. It develops patience.

In the age of instant everything, writing a letter forces you to slow down.

So, go ahead. Grab some stationery and make someone's day. Need some ideas?

Post off a note to:

- a parent

- a sibling

- a friend you haven't seen in ages

- a former co-worker or an old boss

- a neighbor you moved away from years ago