I am trying to remember how I developed an interest in letter writing other than the halting start of the obligatory thank you note for Christmas gifts to far away relatives. Even then, I remember joyfully caring about either making the card or selecting one that fit the occasion and the recipient.
I have lovely memories of receiving letters. My mom wrote me during Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. Even though I was just minutes away, there was no visiting in the early indoctrination weeks. While I was making my weekly payphone call, my mom consistently wrote about the ordinary happenings at Ferry Farms. She continued her faithful weekly letter-writing routine throughout my years living in the Philippines and other far-away duty stations. In another post, I detailed Gary and my letter writing over our six months of long-distance engagement. During our time in Hawaii, my father wrote our children funny notes with made-up poems that always included them by name and photocopied pages of limericks he thought the kids would laugh at and enjoy. Thanks to the thank you habit we seek to create in the Institute for Cultural Communicators, I have two large shoeboxes full of twenty years of notes sent from students and adults alike.
With such a rich legacy of letters, why does writing a letter seem overwhelming? I am sure our smartphone texts and group chats make writing letters seem inefficient and unnecessary. Letter writing, however, requires more thoughtful slowing down and more intentional words and word choice. Here is my nudge to consider a note in lieu of a line of text when someone in your past or present comes to mind.
I have kept my letter-writing habit alive through a few intentional decisions. I don’t keep up an ongoing correspondence anymore, but I have seasonal rhythms that help reduce the obstacles to picking up a pen and jotting a note.
My letter writing is marked by campaigns that are signaled by the calendar. These campaigns are subject to the context of my life and my joy in writing the notes. You will notice that for me, the winter months are my times to send a note. The lack of light in the day settles me into sitting and writing.
In November, I will send notes of thankfulness to a group of people. One year, it may be family; another year, it is friends; another year, the students who have been a part of my life at the Institute for Cultural Communicators. I pause to consider the who and decide in advance on the number of letters I will send. This helps me not give up too soon or despair of a neverending task.
In December, I do NOT plan to send much of anything. I have had too many years of guilt over not responding to the Christmas cards we receive. I have often posted a family letter on my website and told folks where to find it on social media. Sending a note during Christmas seems like one more thing during an already booked season. I am grateful for the cards and letters we receive, but I haven’t found a joy-filled way to do this that is honest to our year. Let me know if you have cracked the code.
In February, I send Valentines to my friends, who are often volunteers who work with me throughout the year. My Valentine’s notes often include a meditation about God’s love and detail in simple and short order what I love about the receiver of the note.
I celebrate any notes that I get to the mailbox. I don’t think about the notes that I didn’t write. I don’t fuss about an addressed envelope with a stamp that didn’t get out the door. If I find a letter that is sealed and written long ago – I either mail it or toss it. I resist opening it up.
I want to suggest a few resources for stamps, stationery, and stylus.
Stamps – I buy fun stamps online from the postal service that fit the occasion. My recent favorites are Thinking of You, Women’s Rowing I would send to my USNA classmates who shared crew, and the ever-useful thank you stamp.
My favorite stationery stories where I look to buy on sale
Hester and Cook || Metropolitan Museum of Art Store || Peter Pauper Press
I hope you have experienced the joy of writing with an instrument that delights. Number 2 pencils and these inexpensive fountain pens do it for this lefty.
Would you like more letter-writing inspiration? Check out The gift of a letter – by Alexandra Stoddard.
I hope my tips and tools encourage you to get off one letter. Start small and build on your gift-giving – imagine your recipient’s smile when they see a letter in the mail that isn’t a bill!