Does anybody "write" letters anymore ?

sudha65 · Apr 2, 2009

Hi,

I've been a member for quite a while now and I decided that's its time I start to interact ....and so here I am...and heres my post...

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Crao%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><style>  </style> Last evening when I was taking a walk I saw the post woman delivering letters. It triggered off a flood of memories…..

When I left home for the first time I stayed at a working woman’s hostel. By the time I settled in, it was late evening and the homesickness hit me almost immediately. I was alone in my room ( my room mate was a nurse on the night shift !!) and miserable. I did fall asleep eventually. The next day was my first day at work. I was excited and a little apprehensive. It turned out to be a pleasant day, meeting new colleagues and getting down to work. Just before lunch time the office boy came with mail for the department and guess what ? I HAD MAIL – a friend had thoughtfully written a long letter and mailed it to reach me on my 1<sup>st</sup> day at work. My day was made. The rest of the day I had the biggest smile on my face.

Believe it or not, I received mail every single day for more than a year. The letters from my friends and family really helped to keep me going. I didn’t feel like I was so far away after all. I got all the news, gossip and happenings from back home….though a week later probably. Many a time, I got different viewpoints on an incident which made an interesting read.

Most evenings found me in my room busy replying to my mail. I was a regular at the post office. I’d stock myself with envelopes and inland letters and stamps so that I’d never be without.

I had a most amazing collection of letterpads --- I don’t even see them in the bookshops anymore ! : ( --- and stickers and pretty envelopes. I’d never miss a single birthday. I bought cards all the time, many a time sending fun cards for no particular occasion.

And the best part was reading and re-reading the letters – some of them. When I moved back home, I brought back a carton full of letters. But later my parents were moving and I decided to get rid of the letters since I didn’t have a place for them. I read each one of them before I tore it up.

I still love to write letters, but there’s no one to write to – I’m on email with almost everybody ! But I’ve still got some of my letter pads and stickers…I just couldn’t let go of them. I miss writing letters, but more than that, I miss the anticipation of waiting for a reply and the joy of receiving one.

Though the e-mail, the internet has brought us all so much closer, it’s at the expense of the art of letter writing which makes me feel just a little sad.

Do any of you out there miss writing and receiving letters ?

Sudha

joshila · Apr 2, 2009

Hi Sudha...
Thanks a lot for bringing up this topic. Even am very very fond of writing letters.Letter Writing is seriously an art. . But unfortunately now nobody writes its email gen now. But only solace for the past few years had been that after I moved abroad I used to write letters to both my grandmothers. :thumbsup It was a thrill to receive leters from them .Now they too hv learnt computers(email & chat), thou happy for that still the thrill of getting letters is no more :hide:
The fragile paper which carried a lot of emotions and love was always exciting to be read & re-read again. i think when I was in school I used to hv a lot of pen friends, so writing letters, posting, then waiting for replies was so much fun. For buying that stationery, used to do errands to earn money Big Laugh . Those days were fun.
Thou the communication has become fast & easy now a days, the quality of communication has been lost. We chat , email, call over fone almost all days, But I still feel we really dont communicate our thoughts or feelings.

I miss the lovely scented letters packed with emotions :coffee

Padmini · Apr 2, 2009

dear sudha,
you brought out the old memories. you are right, the letters written by hand brought a personal touch. but what to do. we have to adapt the new methods to cope up. so now instead of letter writing only letter typing is there.
with love
pad.

Nithu · Apr 2, 2009

Dear sudha,
Nice topic which u brought out.
whatever letter or greeting cards its very effective compared to communicate through internet...still now Iam keeping the letter(as well as greeting cards) which i got from my friend when i was 8th std.
It gives us pleasure when we read it again and kindles our childhood days...

sudha65 · Apr 2, 2009

@ Joshila
I had many penfriends too...I remember going in search of lovely airmail "onion skin" letter pads so that i could get more pages to write for the same postage. Was very careful about all this since postage used to come from my pocket money. Have kept many of my penfriends letters and photos....ya..those days were fun !
@ Padmini
You are right...we have to move with the times...or else we'll just have to sit around reading and re-reading our old letters only !!!
@ Nithu
Some special cards and letters can never be discarded...they bring back so many fond memories....

Thank you so much for your comments. Makes me feel good to know I'm not the only one missing hand-written letters.

Sudha

Bujji · Apr 2, 2009

Hello Sudha

Thoughtful write-up !

Still I have a small collection of letters from my friends, who used to exchange on our first year. That is the 1st separation after 8 years of school days. After that, we communicated through phone and email. So, those letters are treasures now . I have a bag full of cards too, which I find as token of love from my friends, that I will endure forever.

Jpatma · Apr 3, 2009

Dear Sudha,
Welcome to IL and for the post. I will look forward for your post.
Yes ! letter writing is thing of the past, it does bring nostalgic memories. I suppose i still keep some of the sentimental letters.

But enjoy emails because i don't need to go to post office. I used to hate to stand in Q for the mails and registration etc.

Ofcourse those enjoyed collecting letter pads and writing on it, at times leaving pressed flowers in the letter.
So many memories are flooding back now.
Jaya

sudha65 · Apr 3, 2009

@jpatma
I agree with you, there, Jaya, about the long wait at the post offices. Thats certainly one job less to do in life !!
@Bujji
Welcome to the club of letter-hoarders !!!!

Sudha

nithuraman · Apr 3, 2009

Dear Sudha.....

i too love to store all the letters that come from my dad and friends...most of the time i get letter without any postal charge... me and my are very close but our views and ideas are like railway track they go togheter but never join...we always do the things together and when we fight we use to write letters to each other and keep it in book. end of the day night we use to read the letters and realise our mistake and next day we smile.............when i went for a job in the hostel i use to read the letters and use to laugh and think how stupid i behaved. i mis my parents when i was in hostel but more than them i use to mis my friend......she was very supportive and infact she was my roll model.

regards
nithuraman

gsaikripa · Apr 3, 2009

Dear Sudha,
Welcome to IL and for the post. . I keep some of the sentimental letters from amma.
some of my friends send greeting cards also thru post.
but now all is changed. we communicated through phone and email.it is faster than post...