Write? Right!

How many letters did you hand write to your friends last year? Last decade? I'll bet you can count them on one hand. Maybe even with fists closed, indicating zero.

When I left home for college in 1968, I got lonely, so I wrote letters to friends back in Ohio. They were long, funny, descriptive letters about my life, life in general, to practically anyone whose address I could find. And they were funny. People wrote back and that was great, since tons of letters came to my lonely apartment. Eventually I got busier with classes and new friends, so in time the writing subsided. But it didn't end.

One day I sent a letter home in an envelope that said only:

To the father of the daughter who lives in Maryland
Perry, Ohio

No name, no street address, no zip code. And he got it. I'm from a very small town.

I learned who my Dad was through letters. Of course I wrote home all the time, as long distance was still too expensive for a college student on aid, and email didn't exist. I wince recalling how isolated from my folks I was. Yet, probably due to that ongoing separation, Mom and Dad both wrote back often. In fact, getting letters from my Dad was a complete surprise, especially in that they were so long and wonderful. I really met him on those pages and was close to him the rest of his life because of a communication that had never existed in face to face contact.

What did you discuss with your son or daughter last week via phone? Can you recall? Okay, pick up a letter written by them five years ago and you'll remember exactly what was on their hearts. Today I can go to my closet, pull out a box, and relive 20 years of my life, my Mom's thoughts, my Dad's concern and advice. I can laugh again, even cry again. What a treasure.

I'll admit that today's letters are fewer, but not abandoned. It's also true that email is, in a way, a great substitute. Save your emails and you can reread every word shared. But good luck finding those rare and special letters amidst all the other crap on there.

Besides, most of your communication is probably via phone, and not your home phone either, but your cell phone. Remember home phones? My home phone in Ohio was 259-3471. How do I even know that?! It hasn't been my number for over 40 years!! I can't tell you what my number was ten years ago, but I'll never forget my Ohio phone number. It seems to be in my head forever.

Of course, without letters, you cannot rest your eyes on your now deceased Mom's unique handwriting and almost feel her there with you. You can't see the silly little drawings she sometimes added. You can't hold the delicate stationery you gave her close to your heart. You can't literally touch what she touched. It's just not the same.

So, here I sit at my computer, writing. I don't even know who reads this, let alone what your addresses are. Life changes and it's not all bad. Just get some damn paper and write a letter to someone you love. Imagine how great it will feel when you get a letter back, one you can hold in your hands, smell and savor. One that took the writer some time and extra effort to do for you. It will be worth it.