Texting is quick, emailing is largely convenient, and Facebook lets you see how all 629 of your friends are spending their summer. In a rapidly growing, modern society we have begun to lose interest in a unique art form: snail mail. According to CNN, "snail mail has been under attack for the past several decades, with the U.S. Postal Service reporting a drop of 10 billion letters in the past 20 years.”
Rather than taking the time to sit down and write out a thank you note or send a Thinking Of You letter, we simply shoot a “miss ya” text or think that leaving a comment on their Instagram picture should suffice. I know this is true, because I am guilty of it myself.
I’m not saying that sending a text is bad, because let’s face it, texting is how most of us communicate these days. However, there is something so personal about a hand written letter that proves you are willing to take initiative.
Don’t you love when you go to the mailbox and see a pretty envelope with your name on it from someone you love rather than just the usual stack of bills and overly obnoxious fliers? If you take ten minutes out of your day to sit down and write a simple letter, you could be the reason that someone smiles today.
Opening an email or text message will never replace the excitement of opening the mailbox to find a letter addressed to you. It shows that someone took the time to write out a message specifically for you, put it in an envelope, add a stamp, and send it your way. Effort is important, and sending a letter shows just that: effort.
The next time you are in a store, take a minute to look through all the cards that are for sale and choose one to send to someone special. It could be a friend, a grandparent, or even your brother. Believe me when I say that taking the time to hand write a personal letter to someone you care about will never be a waste of time.
Email threads are deleted and texting conversations are swiftly swiped away to make room for more. But a handwritten letter from someone is a treasure. Not many of those are thrown away.
May we never lose the art of snail mail completely, in order to protect our memories and sentiments from disappearing into the black hole known as the World Wide Web. Sit down, grab a pin, and write someone a letter. You could easily be the reason that someone smiles today.