Do you remember last time
when you wrote a letter to someone? Honestly, I can't tell when last time I
wrote a personal letter to anybody. My last written communication was in the
year 2009 when something was wrong with my SBI account and I wrote an
application to the branch manager regarding this. But it's been 7 long years
since I have not used pen and paper for writing anything thoughtful as a
letter! Why am I tossing around letter writing? Because recently I got a chance
to listen to a lady who made me realize that nothing can replace letter
writing, although we now have better new age communication mediums like email,
texting, facebook and many more.
The lady, Laxmi, is a social
entrepreneur and most importantly a family person. She shared that she traveled
countries to countries for many years because of her work needs. And during
these years, she couldn't meet her aging father with much of time. However, her
father did an amazing thing in last two years of his life as he was
continuously sick. He wrote letters to his daughter and filled a notebook with
his thoughts about her. He addressed the strength and weaknesses of his
daughter. He also gave her suggestions for improvement of her life in that
notebook. After he passed away, Laxmi felt guilty of not giving much time to
her father. But she has letters of his father and those letters changed her
panorama about communication. Those handwritten letters still make her feel the
presence of his father. Letters have the same, unique yet very known
handwriting which is the best font of this world for her. Laxmi says
"whenever I read these letters, I feel connected with my father. This is
the same paper which my father had touched and now it is in my hands." How
thoughtful is that! Far after we are gone, no one will care about the million
texts we have sent. But a letter lasts.
I got emotional hearing
Laxmi's story how letter writing has become special in her life. Letter writing
is becoming a disappearing art, a vintage skill. The flow of the pen gracefully
etching out one's thoughts into the paper about someone else. I know it is
crazy to think about letter writing in this text-crazy world but I miss it.My
childhood has seen the charm of letter writing and whenever I recall those
days, I get nostalgic. I remember my massi
(my mother's elder sister) used to send my mother a letter every month and my
mother used to cry after reading massi's
letter. The affectionate way in which my massi
used to write letters to my mother, was really beautiful. I used to write
postcards to my grandfather. It was really fun to write a letter to someone.
You wanted to write so many things but space was limited. Still, feelings got
exchanged gracefully. There was no assurance when the letter would reach its
destination yet people used to write to their loved ones. And receiving a
letter from your dear ones was no less than an award which people used to
treasure.
I have taken a mission; it is
to convince others that handwritten letters should and could make a comeback!
Every parent wants kids to inherit good part of his/her life. And I am thinking
about passing the legacy of letter writing to my son. And for that, I would
also write letters to my son which I am hoping he'll read in future.
Start writing a letter to
your loved ones, it feels really good, believe
me!
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