WHERE DID OUR LOVE OF WRITING GO?
When was the last time you strolled along the aisles of a store, glanced at the infinite display of paper cards, and took a moment to carefully search through them until you found the perfect one to jot down a thoughtful message? Maybe you wrote a birthday card last week, but was it the only one you’ve written thus far this year? Or…were you a victim of the digital age, sending messages of love in the form of a text?
So, the question is…why did we ever stop leaving heartwarming handwritten messages? When did this art form turn ancient?
The answer lies in our busy schedules, often turning our attention to our daily to-dos. Between demanding classes, careers, friends, and extracurriculars, the time we have left is often designated to winding down away from the chaos.
The card i still keep
I never really paid too much attention to how sentimental a handwritten message was until last summer, when one of my best friends came to visit me in my hometown. At the end of her stay with me and my family, she had left two cards, one for me and one for my parents.
When we sat down to read the cards she left, I realized how sweet and meaningful this simple gesture was. It only took a pen and folded paper to make the moment even a little more special. She had taken just a few minutes out of her day to thank my parents for hosting her and to tell me how much she appreciated our friendship.
The black ink framing her perfect handwriting, filling up the pages with paragraphs of warm words, were only a reminder that she took time to carefully think of every sentence she’d jot down for us to read. That in itself made it all the more special.
Ever since, we’ve kept both of the cards as a reminder of her presence in our home, looking back on them when we miss her.
childhood cards and paper memories
I think it’s so lovely how, growing up, we were always giving and receiving cards. Whether it was an invitation for a birthday party, a get well soon card, or thanking your friends for the gift they gave you, these handwritten messages were constantly being passed around.
And when we’d receive them, there was always some special feeling deep down that made us appreciate each other just a little more. So, we’d keep them and cherish them for years and years to come, until it was almost bittersweet to see one eventually end up in the trash.
We’d save boxes of them, rereading every single one when we wanted to reminisce. After birthdays, after Valentine’s Day, after graduation, these cards were what we went back to when we wanted to relive those memories, each message serving as a small portal back into those moments.
Now, I feel like there are less frequent exchanges of physical media. Even though we are constantly communicating with one another, much of it has become digital.
That’s not to say that now we’re less connected emotionally just because our style of communication isn’t as creative. It’s just to show that there is a difference when we choose to take the time to deliver a physical message.
our curated keepsakes
Besides our small collections of sentimental cards, we’ve already been creating and building other collections of physical media that hold meaning.
When you look at your room, do you see a wall of vinyl records or a shelf full of your favorite books? That’s exactly the kind of constant curation that we take part in every day. We are immersed in a culture of collecting, embracing what it means to own a physical item that drives us away from the digital realm.
Our generation loves being away from screens. We would often rather feel the weight of a book in our hands than that of an iPad. The same goes for keepsakes. Their value increases when they are made with intention and care.
Handwritten cards should share the same space as the other things we choose to keep. They are another form of a physical memory, something worth holding onto for longer. They are probably even one of the most personal forms of media that we can preserve, becoming a small capsule of thought, care, and time.
Why WE still write
Maybe writing cards would feel more worthwhile if we recognized the impact of their sincerity. There’s something special about the personal touches of a handwritten card, the smudged black ink and the crooked lines that make it feel real and heartfelt.
Choose to write, knowing that every word, every line, and every fold will be cherished for years to come.