The Treasure of Handwritten Letters

For most of us, life moves by on high speed. We look for ways to save time and with new technologies making it faster and easier to communicate, the handwritten letter has all but disappeared completely. It is a lost art practiced by a rare few who remember its virtues.

Handwriting a note or a letter may seem old-fashioned to some, but there are benefits to handwritten letters that are lost in emails or text messages. First, a handwritten letter takes more effort. The fact that a person takes time to compose a letter by hand shows the recipient they are valued.

Second, a handwritten letter is more personal than the computer or cellphone-mediated methods. The writer touches the paper and shares a bit of him or herself in the message and the penmanship. When the recipient reads the letter, he or she may notice things like the smell, smudges on the page, or changes in the writing that show a personal touch.

Third, writing by hand affects the writer's cognitive processing differently than typing does. It encourages self-expression and a bit of artistry in the delivery. Some professional writers even write their manuscripts by hand first because it helps them think about the message in a deeper way.

It is true that technology has provided great opportunities for us to communicate with each other quickly and conveniently. However, let's not forget about the benefits of writing by hand. I urge you to brighten someone's day by taking time to write a handwritten letter.