The Lost Art of Handwritten Letters

Handwritten Letters – let’s revive this love language!

Who does not love living in this generation where everything can be done within a few strokes of our fingertips? Almost everything we do now has been influenced by technology – from attending our classes to shopping and dining, and even how we do relationships. While technology has its own benefits, like making the long-distance unintimidating for couples or allowing our works to get done faster so we can spend more time with our beloved, it has also led some good old relationship habits to extinction. Coffee time on the cozy couch with your spouse is being overpowered by our distraction to the trending Instagram post. Giving heartfelt and well-thought handwritten letters are now being neglected; we resort to picking a wacky photo, type random caption, and post.

Old-fashion as it is, handwritten letters possess a power of its own that lives on for years and years – unlike your Facebook post that gets forgotten in less than a week. Here are why writing your appreciation on a piece of paper deserves to be revived:

  1. Handwritten letters express true and heartfelt feelings

While it is true that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks Luke 6:45 ESV, not all of us are able to articulate the overwhelmingly good things we have kept in our heart about the person. Most of us stutter when it comes to speaking out the depths of our heart. There’s just an amazing bravery brimming from within when we start to take a pen and write our feelings word by word. Lovers gain a boldness that takes them to the moon at every letter scribbled on a scented vintage paper. A child shows unabashed affection to her enduring mother for every paragraph penned down. Writing gives one the courage to become a poet as he begins to write the feelings he’s unable to speak face-to-face. Verily, people who can write their truest feelings are the most heroic; they embrace vulnerability in a way creative and memorable.

Unlike posting on social media, handwritten letters express hearts in the sincerest manner – the writer is only concerned of the letter’s recipient, not the opinion of the watching world. The writer’s desire to be acknowledged and applauded by the social world is washed away. The only focus is his pure, untainted feelings towards the one the letter is written for.

  1. Handwritten letters convey intimacy

In the era of the early apostles and disciples, writing letters was a special thing. The absence of technology could be a factor, but I think the ink that causes them to write is the bond the believers share. In fact, most in the new testament were passed on as letters to brothers and sisters in the faith. The apostle John said, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life,” 1 John 5:13 NIV. The early Christians have been writing to one another to confirm their bond as spiritual family. In one word: intimacy.

When we write letters, oftentimes we write to those whom we share special kind of friendship. Letters speak of the kind of closeness the writer has with the recipient. Writing a letter requires effort, creative mind, and a labor of love – it is not given to just anyone. So, giving one to our family, friends, and partners confirm the intimacy we share with them. We can just tag anyone on Facebook, but handwritten letters are for the special people in our lives. You can caption anything on social media, but letters contain secrets and language only people who share the same heart can understand.

  1. Handwritten letters show love as a verb

Who says writing letters only take words? It involves canvassing for the perfect paper texture, picking the best type of pen to use, and of course, the pictures, stickers and other accessories to style your letter with – not to mention the design and look of the letter! Writing a heartfelt letter isn’t just about the outpouring of feelings, it is also allowing the river of creativity and stream of ideas to flow smoothly into your vanilla-scented pink paper. It is effort. Truly, labor. Above all, love.

As Christians, we are called to love in action – not just in words. Hence, let us package our feelings and words in a way that shows labor, creativity, and thoughtfulness. Writing a letter takes energy, time, and resources. Technology made life easy for us, but we should not settle on a love that is easy. True love is an adventure of labor, triumph, challenges, forgiveness, patience, creativity, and yes, handwritten letters!

Read more about Christ-like love in these articles: Altared Book Review and Pursuing a Godly Ever After Story.

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1 comment

  • Nhesty says:

    Very true! I’ve kept all the letters, no matter how short, even though it’s just a little note. All of them are still alive, lying peacefully in a box.

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