While working at summer camp, I have found myself seemingly cut off from the outside world. This means minimal social media which is typically only used to talk to my parents, while the only people I talk to consistently are the ones I am present with in the moment. This has its pros and cons of course.
Pro: its really awesome when you have great people to talk to.
Con: it can be a real bummer if the people surrounding you are a little annoying.
The really awesome thing is that you learn to be a great conversationalist because you can't learn about people by creeping on their page to learn their interests and opinions.
The one thing I have really missed while being at camp is not my social media or Netflix, but it's talking to some of my friends who are not at camp with me. So this summer I began a new practice of asking people to write me letters with the promise that I would write them back. I have also begun to send people letters who have made an impact on my life to let them know that they are appreciated.
This new (to me) form of communication has been a major blessing in my life for several reasons. The first being that it challenges me to be a better writer. When you are taking the time to write to someone, you don't have to be as rushed as you might be in a text message or email, so you automatically try to improve your word choice, grammar and syntax.
The next major benefit of writing handwritten letters is that it forces you to take some time out of your day to really focus on another person. It's not as easy to multitask when you are writing a letter as opposed to sending a quick series of texts so, for the period of time when you are writing, your attention can be much more fully on the person you are wanting to communicate with even when you aren't with them.
The final benefit that I have found from writing notes to people is the gratitude that people feel when they receive something in the mail. Receiving a letter from a friend is super exciting and conveys a truly genuine investment into the relationship. Being able to give people that gift and make them feel worthwhile is worth all of the extra time it takes to write a letter instead of sending them a brief text of Facebook message.
So the next time you are wanting to show someone you appreciate them and are thinking about them, I would highly encourage you to write them a letter. The joy it brings is so worthwhile, and it is a skill to be able to write to other people and make them feel special. I think it is time for the art of letter writing to make a comeback, and I will continue to write to my friends, family and new acquaintances even after camp ends and I am reconnected with the world in hopes of brightening their day just a little.
