When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? You may answer - who needs one? That's snail-mail. It takes ages to write and then ages to arrive, whereas a txt, email or online msg is instant and, therefore, more efficient.
But the tone of these msgs can be misinterpreted, and is surely less personal? Especially in times of fake news etc - wouldn't it feel safer to read a familiar handwritten script. There would surely be no way of mistaking a friend's distinctive handwriting?
In the Olden Days, seeing a letter arrive and recognising the sender by the handwriting on the envelope, was a happy event. Time to put on the kettle and allow yourself an interlude to open it up and read its newsy contents! Now I only receive junk mail or bills. I receive lots of emails from friends but I never stop to put the kettle on, instead I read them all diligently and chronologically, and then answer them immediately. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to receive them!
No-one seems to take time to send letters anymore. My last letter was from my granddaughter (almost 6) thanking me for my Xmas present. I was tickled by the formality of it: starting with, 'Dear Granny Val' and ending, 'Yours sincerely'. Apparently her teacher had taught her the proper format, when the class had written their individual letters to Santa!
I was delighted, a little bemused, and somewhat relieved that her teacher thought that learning to write letters still has some value. I wondered if each child had been in possession of a tablet instead, would she just have taught the class keyboard skills? Will handwriting eventually just get phased out?
Then I got to thinking: are laptops, pcs & tablets making our lives a bit less individual?
Personally, I don't want to interact with my laptop. I don't want to talk to Alexa, or whoever else. I just want my laptop to store stuff and give me instant information. I don't want to 'befriend' it - I have friends. And I don't want it to remind me to do stuff - I still have a brain that works.
And I don't like predictive txt - especially when it alters the word I want to use in favour of its own choice! Just who's in charge here? And I don't want to click on a pre-decided email reply. I want to reply in my own words, in my own way!
Maybe it's time to take words into our own hands. Let's write in our own script in our own way? Let's write to someone this coming week? I'm no graphologist but I'm sure we impart extra stuff like 'feelings' in longhand.
Yes, it will be slower. Yes, it will take ages to arrive. Yes, you'll need to buy an envelope and a stamp (1st class: 65p; 2nd class: 56p). But I bet my cotton socks that your letter will make the recipient smile!
Let's not lose the ability to put pen to paper!
ps In the Olden Olden days, they used to embroider their words. Ha ha!!
pps now they just call that journalism!
