(My mailbox holding a letter from my mom. February 8th, 2018.)
One day I decided to head to the post office to check my mailbox. Since the post office’s hours don’t always coordinate with my schedule and I rarely get mail, I used to only go maybe once every other week. As I put in the combination to open my mailbox, I expected to find the typical flyer advertising apartments to rent for next semester or a coupon for a pizza place on campus, mail I would throw away once I got back to my dorm. However, when I actually opened my mailbox, I saw something that I will never throw away. Inside were two letters from my mom. Although this isn’t a rare occurrence, I was still a little surprised. I opened the letters, eager to see what she had to say. The letters explained how she was going to start writing me a letter every single day (pretty great, right?).
You may be asking yourself, why pay for stationary and postage when you can send the same message over text?
Well, because writing letters are so much more meaningful. Here’s why:
1. When you write a letter, you have limited space to write. You have to carefully plan exactly what you want to say, including only the most important parts.
2. Everything nowadays is typed out on the computer. When everyone uses the same font, there is so individuality. When you write a handwritten letter, your personal handwriting gives the letter characte
3. It’s a keepsake. Two years from now when you get a new phone, all your texts will go away. When you write letters, you have a physical, tangible object that you can keep for the rest of your life.
My advice to you is to go out and buy a set of stationary and write a letter to someone you love. It doesn’t have to be every day. It doesn’t even have to be once a month. It can be once a year if you want. It doesn’t matter how often you send them. What matters is that you took the time out of your day to write an actual handwritten letter. It will be so much more meaningful than sending a text or an email. Trust me, whoever receives your letter will appreciate the effort you went through.
Writing a letter every day is so small feat and I am thankful that my mom has taken up the challenge. It gives me something to look forward to everyday.
“Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.” -Winnie the Pooh (a quote in one of the letters from my mom).