Tuesday, September 28, 2010

For The Love of Letters

In today’s world of technology, digital messaging, and video chat, I still find myself fascinated by the beautiful simplicity of a personal letter. There is no comparison between opening my email inbox of 14 messages to that of opening my mailbox to one, handwritten envelope.

Don’t get me wrong. I greatly appreciate Twitter, Facebook, and Skype just as much as the next Generation Y computer wiz. In fact that may, indeed, be why I find this older method of communication more idealized and romantic, even in it’s antiquated style.

For this reason, I greatly appreciate the yellow legal pad clippings sent to me every so often by my grandmother. Sometimes she has news to report; sometimes she pens that there is “nothing of interest” to discuss but that she was simply “thinking about me.”

Maybe it’s the writer from within, but each time a personal letter comes my way I can’t help but excitedly rip open the message almost immediately, as if it were a toy a child received on Christmas day. My only regret is that I rarely respond in the same manner, hence my persistent phone calls to those who send cards (although I am trying to improve!). I simply wasn’t trained to respond by snail mail, though I adore the personal implications.

So this post is in tribute to my Grandma Barbara, who sent me a letter nearly every two weeks throughout my four-year college experience, and who from time-to-time still sends a note my way.

Thank you.

Maybe I’ll write you a copy of this blog post so you can understand my immense gratitude. Practice makes perfect, right?

On another note (no pun intended), I am also extremely proud of my Grandma Helen who just used Skype for the first time. How’s that for a technologically-savvy grandparent?

Bulletin board in my room with notes from many, including my grandma.

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." - Mark Twain

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4 comments:

Lindsay said...

I was there when you skyped! Great post! Loved seeing you this weekend....XOXO

Katelyn James said...

LOVE!!!!!! miss u!! see ya in 11 days!!!!!!

mom said...

Wow, You cotinue to impress me my dear daughter. What a tender message you wrote to your grandmother. I definitely think you should mail her a copy of the blog. She would love that!!! We will try and show her too!!! Love you, mom

Anonymous said...

Just read this to Grandma and she teared up... Very sweet Britney!!!
Love you, Dad :)