We're constantly surrounded by modern technology. We always have our smartphones in our pockets, which we can use to call or message people, or access the Internet. We have our personal computers sitting on our desk at home, or our laptops in satchels which we carry around with us, and through these, we're able to email one another, connect with each other via social networking websites, and contact our friends and family in a wide variety of ways. While such technologies may be particularly handy, at times, it doesn't hurt to sit down and put pen to paper to write, by hand, a letter to someone who you love, or who means a lot to you.
Sending handwritten love letters to one another is a fantastic idea. It's a practice which differs from the everyday norm of digital, electronic communication. Nothing beats the uplifting sound of the letterbox slamming and the envelope plummeting onto the carpet below. And no form of web-based interaction can even come close to matching the smile-inducing process of tearing open that very envelope, unfolding the pages within, and ingesting each curve of every letter within every word which constructs the letter, as your eyes scan over your lover's handwriting.
There's something wonderful in running your hand down a page which has been held by the one you care for the most. For long-distance lovers, it's especially unique. The scent of your boyfriend or girlfriend fills your nose as soon as you prise open the envelope's triangular fold. As for replying, well, letters just seem that little bit more personal and honest – when you sit at a computer and write something, there are loads of distractions which may derail your train of thought, but when writing a letter, it's just you, the paper, the pen, and your thoughts.
If you haven't written a letter to someone in a while, I encourage you to do so right this minute. Dust off the address book, look for someone who you know will appreciate the surprise, and spill your thoughts and feelings out between the feint-ruled lines. Slide it into an envelope, stick a stamp on the front, and post it off. It may seem like a waste of time and resources, but you'll appreciate the obsolete practice in the long-run. It's both relaxing, stimulating, and to a certain degree, even inspiring. Letter-writing is something which has faded out of mainstream use, but which I truly hope will never cease entirely.
Future is fear when it's unknown but joy when it' clear.
