An Ode To The Humble Letter

Prior to 2012, I was not a frequent letter writer. I’d had the odd penpal here and there, and received the occasional letter from my Grandparents when I relocated to London for university, but it wasn’t something I regarded as important, more a quaint idea that lacked practicality in the modern world of email and texts.

In 2012 however, a close friend of mine moved back home to Canada, and having had no experience with long distance friendships before, I thought the future seemed uncertain. ‘What if we lost touch?’, ‘Would I ever see my friend again if she was halfway across the world?’- As someone who often forgets to return a simple text, I wasn’t sure if I could sustain a friendship so far away.

And then we started writing letters to one another. We’d talk about our news (mostly complaining about how much university work we’d have), and send each other tea from our perspective countries. Though we would Skype, or at least attempt to through lack of signal- there was something extra special about putting pen to paper. And though social media has also been an important factor when it comes to staying in touch- I’ve found that nothing gives me that warm fuzzy feeling quite like a handwritten, posted letter. I think this is mostly because of the commitment that encompasses snail mail. The time it demands from you to sit down, choose your stationary, and include a few gifts you know that person is going to love. The old soul in me just loves it.

Now that I’ve become accustomed to letter writing, I’ve even found myself posting gift packages and notes to complete strangers, via Oh Comely’s ‘Perfect Strangers’ project. It’s lovely to meet others who you’ve purposely been matched with to send little gifts to, and to receive in return.*

Two years on my friend and I are still snail mailing and I believe it’s made our friendship the best it’s ever been. It’s taken me to Canada and her to London, and this time when it came to saying goodbye at the airport, I knew it wouldn’t be the last time we saw one another. Don’t be quick to judge the humble letter- pen and paper may take you places you never thought it could!

-Diana, thank you for the birthday package, and thank you for all your letters. 

*If you missed out on the Oh Comely Perfect Strangers Project but still fancy writing to a stranger and maybe meeting someone new, check out The Curiosity Project- http://www.curiosityproject.co/home