I have always loved writing letters. It may be because I tend to be old-fashioned or because I'm academically trained as an historian. Perhaps it was my grandmother's insistence that I be reared with a deep appreciation from whence I came. Regardless of the reason, I try to pen several letters a month, and I insist on signing and addressing some seventy-odd Christmas cards every year. No photo cards or pre-printed labels in this house!
When my grandparents were removed from their house this past summer, my letter writing became more diligent. I was unsure how to reach them, but my grandmother especially loved receiving mail from me. I started writing to both of them more frequently, and after my grandmother passed away, I have kept up my efforts to communicate with my grandfather.
A few months later, a friend of mine was lamenting on Facebook about how no one takes the time to actually write to anyone these days. I completely agree. An actual written letter is very different from an email or Facebook post. People tend to think how their comments will affect others (for good or for bad) when they take a pen to paper. I also miss real letters from an historical point of view. How many people take the time to print out their emails, posts, or tweets? What will future generations have left of us to study?
I made the decision to start a personal campaign. I did not want this to be a New Year's resolution, because then it seemed doomed to fail. Instead, I started during one of the busiest times of year: December. I decided, starting December 1st, to write one letter, every day, for a year.
So far things are going well. Some of my letters are long, some are just short thank-you notes, others are birthday wishes. I plan on sharing some of these with you as my journey progresses. If I do not get around to doing so until 2013 . . . Merry Christmas to you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment