How many of you are guilty of sending one word text messages, populating your Facebook feed with pictures, and sending a quick how are you via E-Mail? There has been a lot in the press about the decline in the numbers of letters sent, and how people are turning to mobile phones, social media, and e-cards to communicate instead. The first question I would ask is, if we are all guilty of the above, and more, how much effort are we really putting into communicating with our friends and family, and is it really the same as posting something?
I am active on most of the social media channels, and I am an active penpal, which has led me to write this post. I keep in touch with some of my penpals via What's App or Facebook, as some have busy lives and are not as in to letter writing anymore, but for me, the best way to catch up with my penpals is by letter. Whether I can write a reply in an evening, or it takes two weeks, I am writing something private and personal to my penfriends, and having a proper catch up. A letter enables me to say things I don't want the whole world reading on Facebook, and I can chat about a lot of different topics, and write more than I would in any other form. That is why I write letters, and why I love hearing from people all over the UK, and sometimes abroad. A penpal letter means I can share interests, find out about different cultures, and make new friends, and it's something I've been doing on and off since I was 13/14. I love getting post and swapping stories with my penfriends, coming up with little surprises for their Christmas and birthdays, and as someone who doesn't have too many friends locally, having contact through snail mail gives me both a hobby, and continued contact with people.
So I disagree with those who think letter writing and snail mail is a lost art. There are many of us who still love traditional post, and will hopefully continue to do so for a long time to come. What are your thoughts on letter writing and penpalling? Have you made some great friends? do you have any tips or links to share? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I'm a fan of snail mail too! One of my sisters gave up gadgets for a month (for charity) and I sent her handwritten letters, notecards and postcards during that month to ensure she didn't feel completely cut off. It was fun to receive letters back from her too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, I think we could all do with a bit less gadget use, and I bet she enjoyed getting your post. I don't think anything is quite the same as a letter!
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