The Lost Art of Letter Writing

         I love getting letters. There is something really magical about going out to the mailbox and finding a letter from a friend or loved one with your name on it. It seems to say, "Why, hello there! I'm here to tell you that someone out there cares so much about you that they wrote you this letter." (Hopefully the letter doesn't actually talk to you...if that is the case, then you have entered Hogwarts. Then you need to contact me IMMEDIATELY.) A letter that is two pages or more means that this is the real deal. That person really cares about you. Honestly, getting letters is one of the greatest joys in life.

        Unfortunately, it seems to be a dying art. People are not taking the time to sit down and write letters to one another. An e-mail can be thoughtful, but it is not nearly as exciting or meaningful as a letter penned with thought and care. To quote Manny Delgado, "It's a lost art. No one puts pen to paper anymore." Hopeful this art does not fade away, like cursive handwriting seems to be headed. That is another tragedy that I will try to preserve in my future classroom, along with letter writing. I want people to experience the pure joy of receiving a hand-written letter, and then help them cherish that gift they have received.

      This entire love of letter writing has led me to my happy musing for today. I am amazed and ecstatic over a "worldwide collaborative art project" that I discovered called Snail Mail My Email. This incredible project takes an email that you send them (100 words or less) and turns it into a beautiful, handwritten letter. You provide them with the address to send it, and they will do the whole thing for free. They will also even include a little extra touch, like a lipstick kiss or a flower petal. All of the instructions are on the website that can be found by clicking the link above. It is seriously an amazing opportunity, and it runs until this Friday. Please, be a part of this amazing phenomena. You could even get a little crazy and write one on your own. :)

      I have sent one to someone special today, and I encourage you to do the same. It only takes a few minutes, and it is well-worth the effort. Just do it! Send a letter to someone to show how much you care. I promise you won't regret it. And that is the musing of a marvelous me.

      Please comment below if you chose to send a letter... I want to hear your stories!