January 15, 2019
Dear Old Fashion Handwritten Letter Writing,
I opened a box today and to my delight I found pieces of you neatly stacked into piles and wrapped together. I had to draw a deep breath and let the emotions discharge. Tears materialized in my eyes and I saw the handwriting of people no longer here as well as from those that are still here but I speak to rarely. There were letters from my best friend from my youth, letters from my college friends, letters from my brothers and even some from my great grandmother, but the largest stack were letters from my mother. She sent many to me in college and just seeing her handwriting warms my heart. Each letter started the same…Hi Luv and ended the same love Mom.
I spent a few hours reading through them. Touching them brought me a bit closer to the people who had written them. At first a nostalgic sensation overcame me, but soon it was replaced by sadness. You made me sad. Not due to your presence or the wonderful (and sometimes funny) content you provided, but due to the fact you died long ago being replaced by less personal forms of communication. No longer will people have the comfort of seeing a loved one’s handwriting. No longer will people have the anticipation of waiting to hear from someone far away. That need has been eliminated.
A few weeks ago, I held in my hands a letter from my uncle when he was in Vietnam. It was written to his mother and my grandmother. I came by it accidentally when looking for something my grandmother asked me to find. Holding it and seeing his handwriting seemed so personal. For that short time I imagined what it would be like to be a young man frightened in a strange land holding paper and pen and writing. That is the magic of a letter.
So I write you today to thank you for memories only you could have provided but also to state how much I miss you! I would like to believe you’ll come back some day, but I don’t think you’ll be resurrected any time soon.
So all I can express now is a thank you for the memories!
Sincerely,
A lover of all things old and forgotten
Kelly
P.S. Feel free to write me anytime!
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