In my mind, there’s nothing better than the sound of the post person walking up to your front door. You hear the sound of that mailbox clang shut and then wait for the steps to fade away before rushing out the door to claim your… bills?
I love receiving mail for the sheer joy of seeing my name in ink. It’s probably the reason why Amazon Prime and I are such good friends; half the joy of ordering new things online is the feeling you get when the delivery comes in.
Isn’t it funny how even with our phones attached as a third arm we still let our relationships slip through the cracks because we’re too ‘busy’? Or the ridiculous notion that we’re caught up on someone’s life because we follow them on Instagram.
We don’t send mail just for the heck of it anymore. Not this generation at least. I still get cards in the mail on my birthday from my grandparents and a few Great Aunts, but I rarely ever receive notes in the mail from anyone under 55. With communication at our fingertips at all times of the day, it seems like letter writing has faded into the romantic, distant past. But I’m not ready to give up on it just yet.
A couple of weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to write letters to people I love. I made a list of people I needed to catch up with and spent an hour carefully crafting love letters. I used my best paper (because what am I saving it for?), brought out my calligraphy pens and even my wax seal kit. And yes — you heard that right. I own a wax seal kit with my initial and three different colours of wax; it’s my pride and joy.
The hour of writing was extremely therapeutic. I felt a burst of excitement as I placed the letters in the mailbox. Just knowing that my loved ones were getting a special surprise in the mail made me feel so wonderful. You just don’t get that feeling from writing a birthday message on a Facebook wall or sending a Snapchat. I also felt a little sneaky every time I spoke with them because a piece of me was heading their way.
I love that these little notes will be a surprise to my favourite people. But I also don’t want this to be a one-time thing. I’m going to try and allow myself one night a month to write letters to people. Send a thank-you note for being a great friend, or actually a physical birthday card for once. Even if it’s just a note that says, ‘hey, I’m still here and I haven’t forgotten about you’. Are you with me?
Do you ever write letters to loved ones?
