On letter writing

It's a lost art.  Or a dying art.  Or a dead art.  I'm not really sure.  But I know that I love it.  I love to send notes in the mail to people.  It's not something I talk much about, because it's just one of those quiet ways I like to be able to bless people.  There is nothing quite like getting a hand written note in the mail.  To know the time, effort, and thought that someone put into sending it.

I grew up five states away from most of my family.  I had one cousin that I wrote back and forth with through a lot of my childhood.  I mean, pages and pages of letters.  It was not uncommon to give or receive an eight page letter.  I have no idea what we talked about.  Most likely a whole lot of nothing, but it was important to us.  And my Grandma has always been a great letter writer.  Her letters often come with the bonus of a newspaper article.  I think Grandma reads the newspaper with everyone in mind every time she reads it.  And she will cut an article out if it pertains to someone in the family.  I love that about her.

However, the second I know I'm supposed to send a note (such as a thank you note), I no longer want to send it!  I'm kind of stubborn that way.  I think it's because when it is expected, I just don't feel like it is as appreciated as a surprise note in the mail.  Maybe I'm wrong.  I still send out thank you notes about half the time.  I'm just not super consistent about it.

And I realized a random difference (because it wouldn't be my blog if there wasn't something random in it) between sending a note to someone you appreciate and sending a bill.  There are obvious differences in these two things, so we'll skip over those.  This random difference, for me, is in the return address section of the envelope.  If I am mailing a bill, I always put my last name (no first name) and then my address.  If I am sending a note, I put my first name (no last name) and then my address.  Because sending a note is personal, and the person receiving it should know my last name.  But the bill people?  They don't care what my first name is.  They just want my money!

I'm thankful that I grew up in a time before email and text messages.  When the only way to communicate was with some paper and a stamp.  I know there are advantages to email and text and I am not saying I want to go back.  I just wish there were more letters floating around out there!