Write a Little Letter?

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One of these days, I promise myself, I am going to write an epistolary novel.  I am certain it will be a success, based on its novelty value,  if nothing else.  This is because actually sitting down, with pen and pristine paper,  matching envelopes and adequate postage stamps, is becoming a thing of the past.  And that is a very sad state of affairs, if cultures and languages are to survive, offering insight and understanding to future generations.

The texting, phoning and e-mailing are all very well for a quick means of keeping in touch.  I am a lover of all these useful, fast, modern methods of communication.  But none of them can replace the pleasure of sending and receiving a real letter, in an envelope, on paper, with ink on it.  Nor will the quick fix methods ever provide the historical evidence of our societies that letters can and do supply,  be they formal or informal.   Letters are a rich source of social commentary, information on any era, a legacy for the future.  They tell of the realities of ordinary lives, the flavors of many moments in time, and what is more, they are a pleasure to read and write.

Look, if you find this hard to believe, at a couple of examples that reflect the experiences of ordinary people, within the bigger picture of the world they live in today.  Here goes with a friend-to-friend example:

Dear Susan,

This will be a short epistle for a change, I need to catch the post.  I am so glad to hear that the boys are well again.  There are so many viruses going around, apart from the usual mumps, measles and chickenpox.  Sometimes I wonder why so many children get them, as well as developing allergies.  Is it because of farming methods, over-zealous cleaning, or just over-protective parenting?  I am sure WE didn’t have so many allergies when growing up.  Or does my memory fail me with age?  Dirt is good!

It is so great to hear that your mother’s keyhole surgery went so well.   What a relief, and so much easier on her than  major surgery for her gall bladder.  God, it used to be lying there in a hospital bed for weeks, not so long ago.  Now, it’s have the surgery, then jump up and dance the Highland Fling within 24 hours, after a nice dinner.  Give her my best wishes.

You will be pleased to know that the Weight-watchers points program is still working, even if only one pound a week is coming off.  It this willpower holds up, I will be very slender, (well, less fat) by the time we go away in September.  The added advantage is that I will want to eat less, which means less money spent on food while we are away.  As the pound against the euro is so bad, that’s a good thing.  Who cares,  holidays are about enjoying yourself without bothering about such boring things as a poor exchange rate.  Isn’t it?  Anyway, the wine in Spain is always cheaper than here,  I love Spain.

This lot here are all well.  Holly’s student loan is enhanced by her single-parent status, though I wish she had not separated from that good man.   But then, that seems to be the norm nowadays.   Everybody wants to find their destiny and to ditch the less-than-perfect partner as they search.  The divorce figures are scary.  What are WE doing right – or are we wrong?

I am ending now because I need to read those new Child Protection Laws for work.   What a pity those administering them keep failing to pay attention to their application.  I look forward to hearing from you soon, when you get a minute in your busy schedule.  Take care, love to all,  I miss our coffee and chat.

Love,

Annie x

Example number 2 has a rather more local flavour, but once again, it reflects the time and place in which the writer exists.

Dear Mr. George,

I real in the papers, with some dismay, that your company intends to cut bus services to this area.  Given that you receive large subsidies from the city council and that council tax payers, IE bus passengers, increase your profits, this is both unfair and unethical.

No doubt you have employed statisticians, inspectors and little men with clipboards to support and justify your decision, so that numbers and revenue are clarified.  I doubt if any of these “experts” have actually spoken to individuals who depend on your buses to get to and from work.  It is my belief that profits come before people, and this holds true with your company and its delivery of so-called customer service.

Please consider this letter as one of protest against your greedy profiteering.  I have little hope that it will make any difference to your intentions.  I will forward a copy to the council and the passenger transport authority, and encourage others to protest in a similar manner.

Yours sincerely,

Annie Lundy

There we have examples of how individuals express feelings in writing.  Yes, with a pen and paper, a stamp and an envelope, a trip to the post box too.  Good exercise for some, great opportunities for self-expression for all.

Let us take up the art of letter writing and make it a vital way to promote our culture and become a historical record, a glimpse into the past.  Just imagine the pleasure a fat envelope full of those little cameos of real life can bring.  It is not difficult to do,  but it can mean so much, now and always, to send and receive a letter.   Do it,  enjoy the creativity.  Now, where did I put my pen so I can start that epistolary novel?