Sacred Sunday: the ritual of letter writing
In the midst of my existential crisis I have decided that I need to embrace my puckish side and say ‘Hello, there!’ to whimsy. So today when I found this turtledove feather in the University Havn I decided to send it to my former housemate Sharon, who has an enormous eagle feather amongst her special treasures.
This got me to thinking about the charm of the hand written letter. I love applying pen to page, and the act of licking-and-sticking a stamp is one of my favorite simple rituals. (Alas, most stamps are self-sticking nowadays, but not air mail stamps from DK.) The best pick-me-up I can think of is getting something real in the mail–once a long-distance friend even sent me a tiny music box!
Nowadays I tend to write a letter or two a month. Souren gets the lion’s share of them — which I’m sure is a wasted effort, given that they are going to a teenage boy. But still, I feel compelled to write in real ink on real paper from time to time and generally he’s the one who gets the magic.
The other teen in my life right now, Miss Mabel V., recently insisted that I read a fantastic YA novel by David Levithan, Boy Meets Boy. It’s a postively jubilant tale, which I highly recommend, and includes this lovely line about letters:
“A note is an update or an entertainment. A letter is giving of a part of your life—an insight into your thoughts beyond mere observations.”
What do you love about letters? What’s the most memorable one you’ve recieved? Do you have a lovely quote about the art of letter writing? The comments are open…
9 comments
My auntie was a great letter writer. Old-fashioned in so many ways, she didn’t even own a telephone until she was well into her 60s, and would never even have considered a television or a computer.
She would ‘dash off’ little notes to say thank you for presents which charmingly remembered something you might have given her years ago. She would describe what was happening in her life – perhaps what she was reading, a shopping trip she’d been on. She might enclose a newspaper cutting, or write recommending a forthcoming radio programme, or a book about to be published.
Her writing was pretty bad – flat and loopy – and part of the game was deciphering what she was saying.
I always felt she was giving part of herself in her letters, many of which I’ve kept.
Great post! The only letters I have are from when my husband and I first met. It was long distance for the first three months and back then there was no email. Can you imagine?
I’m not one for paper, it makes me anxious. I’m out with sending it out and receiving is good but I just can’t hold onto it.
I love this as a ritual though and I have an owl feather that I cherish. One of the barred owls I saw on my hikes in BC.
The guy I loved, who was my best friend, sent me a hugely long letter typed on his old-fashioned typewriter. It was the best letter I have ever received, both because it was from him, and because its unique form speaks so truly to who he is.
letters are little luxuries in this day and age of skype, facebook, blogs and sms
mostly our PO box is full of bills and political propaganda – the day a handwritten letter awaits inside is a red letter day indeed
When we were missionaries in PNG – before the email era – i used to type letters to everyone back home. My nanna kept them all and I was given them back when she died of breast cancer a few years ago. It was amazing to read them back. A little time capsule of a couple of years in our newlywed lives.
Some favourite letters are those written to me by Mr X during our courtship and engagement, a letter from my dad in the month leading up to my wedding day, and then another one from him as we embarked on our missionary adventure
fave writing quote = “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” ~ Mother Teresa
I love letters. It’s such a treat to go through your mail and find a little treasure just for you! They are so unexpected these days that it doubles the joy! Participating in a postcard exchange was one of the first activities that drew me into the creative blogging community.
And I love sending thank you cards, especially to people who just happened to be particularly nice or helpful or inspiring.
Letter writing is such a wonderful tradition! It was part of my childhood as I had friends in different countries, as well as often wrote letters to my great uncle George who was a drama and english teacher.
Your post has reminded me how much fun it is to write someone (as well as recieve) a letter, and inspired me to make sure I send one to a far away friend this week!
Thanks!
WOW! Thats totally true… We all get e-mails everyday, sometimes lots of spam too, but there is something real, and romantic about receiving a letter in the mail from a loved on or friend! :) I think I would write more with pen and paper, but truth be told, I am a terrible speller, I would be sent to Grammar prision without my spell check!! ;) You’ve inspired me tho, maybe I will write a letter to a friend this week! :)
As the time approaches for the postperson to call down our street, I am anticipating a letter- for me- every single day.
What do I love about them?
*The fact that they can be carried around, stuffed into pockets and bags and peeked at during the week.
* Knowing that someone has taken time and care to not only write this letter but to go out and post it too ( or send someone else out for them!)
* Often people pop interesting bits and pieces into letters- paintings and photos, plant markers or news cuttings, drawings or even tea bags!
* my most recent letter was from a child and had pictures all around the writing. It’s beautiful.
Quote, as requested:
“Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company.”
-Lord Byron
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