I almost categorized this subject as "history" as I sighed heavily, approaching the topic -- ironically, with my fingers on the wireless keyboard.
No one writes hand-written letters anymore.
I say no one, and that's simply not true. I do, and that's at least one person. I have two friends who do and that's two more. But practically no one handwrites letters anymore. This is one of the single most distressing characteristics of our culture to me. I'll explain why.
I spent all four years of high school writing approximately a letter (sometimes more) a week to a friend who went to another school. I learned the value of a hand-written letter throughout this time. My penmanship steadily improved, but that's not what I'm talking about. There are certain words I discovered I enjoy writing by hand. That was fun but not exactly the most important thing. I developed a love for fine stationary and writing utensils. I even taught myself calligraphy. But all this stemmed from one thing: the quality and depth of the relationship I developed with the person to whom I wrote.
Though I no longer write my friend, because we've gotten older and moved on in life, my love for a well-written letter on fine stationary in lovely handwriting stays with me. I've noticed I sometimes, like many people, substitute the need for hand-written correspondence with a card. I take joy in getting a card, sure enough. But how much more joyful is it to receive several scented pages of hand-written care folded into an envelope? I send many cards a month. I even get a few. But letters are so very precious indeed.
I'm teaching my daughter to write letters. She's learning the value of a hand written letter even now. She isn't showing much concern for learning to read, but she dearly enjoys writing and spelling. She writes letters to her "aunts" and to a family at church that always writes her back. Her letters are always entertaining and highly decorated. I'm so excited about her love for this art.
As I've written, I'm reading Abigail Adams' biography and I've read John Adams' biography. They both were prolific letter-writers and very eloquent, filling their letters with their personalities and, often, their affection for the addressed.
I know the reason no one sends letters.
When I was in high school, no one really had the internet widely. At least no one I knew. And no one had cell phones either! (For the love of God!) People -- high school kids -- really wrote letters. And not too many were all too speedy typers. We didn't have to be. I didn't even have an email addy until my freshman year of college. I didn't know about email until then, I don't think. The internet really is so very new -- the cell phone revolution as well. We have no idea what lay next, just round the corner.
I hope we don't lose the art of the well-thought-out, artful letter. Even if it's Mesozoic.