Signed, Sealed, Delivered

My handwriting is terrible and it's the main reason I rarely write long hand. Even I can’t read what I write (really and truly true). For years I practiced to improve my cursive and, sometimes, copied the style of friends or family to see if I could find a comfortable way of forming the letters.  As it turns out, my handwriting is all over the place and truly quite a mess, but it isn't going to stop me from writing a letter or note every day this month.

Typing and/or emailing may be more comfortable, but I am not a fan of email (as you may know, as I answer comments infrequently). The main reason is the shear number of emails received in a day (work and personal), as well as, the instant nature of email (do it now!). Writing is a slower form, a beautiful form of expression and it has a "real" quality to it, unlike a blog post, a Facebook update, or a tweet. A note is very personal and dear.

Even if you are not joining in the challenge, you are not excluded from writing a card or letter. Just send one or two notes and you'll see how much joy you feel.  I also do not expect the friends and family who recieve one of my letters to write back.  This challenge is mine and I hold no expectation of others.  It's just for fun!

During the month of February I will write a letter, note, or postcard and send it via US Mail.  If a letter is sent in return, I will make a cup of tea, retreat to my favorite spot, and a take a few minutes to read and enjoy the handwritten words. I will also respond in kind. The postal carrier could become one of my favorite people.

Comments

[Maryse]

I moved a lot as a kid and kept in touch with friends with long letters many of which I still have. I don't have boxes of emails that's for sure.

[Carole]

I am intrigued by this Month of Letters. I may give it a shot. I will definitely write back if someone writes to me. Hmmm.

[Barbara]

I think this is a grand idea and will try to do it too. (But I will need help from your blog about the middle of the month when I think I am too busy.)

[Manise]

Great idea! The art of letter writing is sadly vanishing.

[Suzy]

The best note writing in my life was between me and my Grandma. We used to love buying cards and notepaper together. Really great.

[susan]

I send something via mail to each of the kids every week. Writing out the card is the best part of my week!

[Judy]

I love this idea. I've had friends without phone nor internet and written notes were the only form of communication. The notes were so treasured when they came and went, small events.

[CindyCindy]

I adore written notes. I love writing them and receiving them. It truly is "chatting by mail".

[Beverly]

This is a great challenge! I committed to writing a letter a week in 2012, but I may up it to one a day for the month!!

[Lauren]

What a great idea. I used to love writing and receiving letters. Maybe I should try and start doing it again too, one a week or month would be more realistic for me though!

[Kym]

I love handwritten notes -- both sending and receiving. I just . . . don't do it much anymore. But. During February, I'm joining you in this challenge! (Perhaps we'll even save the U.S. Postal Service. . .)

[Anne]

Oo! And I know from personal experience you have awesome taste in notecards - perfect excuse to use some of them!

[Kim]

What a wonderful idea! Like you I am not a fan of email....it's become one more chore in my day, answering the endless emails that come into my box.....an added stress in an already stressful life for most of us.

[Vicki]

I am committed to writing the long overdue, and also to arranging a couple of face-to-face connections! Like you, my handwriting is terrible and sometimes it's painful to write.

I smiled when I read Maryse's comment about boxes of emails... when emailing was new to me, I printed out all of the "real" emails (many quite lengthy) and had quite a stack!!
; )

[Cynthia]

Prior to reading about the challenge I had thought about sending out 'real' letters (4 or 5) each month. It is so nice to get mail that isn't a bill or junk. I don't think I would be able to do 1 each day for the month of February but I do think I am going to follow through on helping to revive the real mail idea. Thanks for the inspiration Margene!

[Kathy]

I'm in! One of my birthday goals this year was to write 10 letters/cards, so this is just perfect!

[Cookie]

You will do a wonderful job. I just know it.

What does it say about me that I'd rather call someone than email or pick up a pen? Wait... don't answer that. ;^)

[Chris]

I used to send so many cards and postcards, but yeah, the age of email...

[Kristin]

Thank you again for sharing this project. I don't think I had fully realized how much I've missed being a letter writer until I put pen to page today. This project is a very, by good thing!

[Susan]

I think I will do this! I certainly have enough people I could write to. I'm not going to beat myself up if I miss a day, but if I do one note MOST of the days, it will be fun. My sister and I used to send long letters to each other when our boys were small, and a couple of years ago she sent me a small box containing many of the letters I had written to her during those years. It was like reading the diary I never kept and reliving all those days. What a treat!

[Marijke]

What a great idea! Especially in this bleak month.

[Hillary]

I love the idea of this month of letters. My sister is one of the few people i know who still writes notes by hand so I gave her stationery for Hanukkah and she loved it.

We actually have a thing, started long ago, about sending each other letters when we go on vacation. I always use the stationery provided by the hotel but it's getting herd because fewer and fewer hotels provide stationery.

[Rachel]

Real letters, eh? :)

[Sarah]

This is so neat. I wish I were up for the challenge; I just love the idea. Oh, the urgency of email. Sometimes it gets where I begin to confuse the urgent and the important.

xo

[jill]

I have boxes of letters from friends; we moved often and long-distance phone calls were not an option. My dearest friend and I wrote to each other every week, until I was twenty and moved back near her. We'd spend our money on lovely stationary, stickers, cards of encouragement. I literally stalked our postman until her letter arrived each week. In many ways, mail kept me afloat during adolescence.

Now, each week I write a literary letter to my students. I tell them about what I'm reading and how I feel about reading, authors, style, and the like. They write a similar letter in response. Often individuals will write about other personal thoughts. It's the most time consuming thing I do as a teacher, but a wonderful investment that provides us an opportunity to slow down and have a quiet conversation with one another. I am a huge fan of real writing.