Texting, Email and Skype are just some of the highly popular and common ways that we communicate in this hyper- connected world. The great thing about us being able to communicate with anyone we want, whenever we want and wherever we want, is that the communication happens instantly. We can send a text and it will be read by the recipient in a matter of seconds. There is no waiting around for a long reply (unless they are one of those incredibly slow texters) and there is no wondering if they received our message or not thanks to reading brackets. It’s all a part of the beauty of modern day communication. I’m happy we have phones and several options of connecting to anyone instantly, but I also think that it’s important to communicate in more personal ways. Hand writing letters for example, is a form of communication that we need to bring back. It’s the next next thing to talking to someone in person.

I started writing letters by hand to my friends and family when I moved away for college. I have always loved the idea of writing letters because they seem so much more personal then receiving an instant message. I mean if someone takes the time out of their day to pick up a pen and write you, then you obviously mean something to them. You can always feel the excitement, pain, or melancholy in their writing. You really get to feel what they are going through because it is easier for people to express themselves more thoroughly in a letter, rather than in a text.

Writing letters can also be highly therapeutic. Picking up a pen and writing can be one of the best forms of stress relief. It’s really nice to just write down every thought that has been running through your mind and to get everything off your chest that you don’t feel comfortable talking about in person. There is certain feeling of safety when it comes to hand written letters, and both the sender and the recipient benefit from it.

Along with the intimateness and therapeutic aspects of hand writing letters, think about the excitement that they can bring. Whenever you went to check you mail box it was probably full of worrisome bills, but think about the tiny flip your heart does when you see something that isn't a bill to pay, but instead a letter from a friend. You feel special because they thought of you, and you look forward to writing them a letter back in return.

Writing letters to friends, family members and lovers means having to wait a few weeks for a response back but thats part of what makes it exciting as well. The anticipation of receiving your next letter. It’s one another small thing to look forward to in life. So pick up your pen and write a letter, and be prepared to forget about texting for an hour or two, because I guarantee you that once you start writing you won’t ever question the power of a hand written letter.