Letters



I have a few boxes that have moved from one house to another with me and even travelled across the country for a few years too. When I first started the boxes I couldn't have been more than nine years old and they contained the most precious things in my world: my diary and letters from my sister.

I went on to keep a diary for years (mainly full of self-centered teen angst), until I eventually found I simply no longer had the time, but letter writing grew on me. It grew on me so much I now have three shoe boxes full of correspondence, numerous notes stuck inside those old diaries and a husband with the patience of a saint for letting me lug them around everywhere. So obsessesed with my letters am I that I will often have a momentary panic fearing the house will go up in smoke and burn them all to nothing but a pile of ashes! Someone buy me a metal box-seriously.

I love receiving letters in the post. Love it. I cannot understand how we are losing the art of writing to each other (and I mean with a pen and paper!) even though I am aware of all our new and advanced ways to communicate! Even I struggle to find the time to put pen to paper, and when I do it is often nothing more than a few quick lines. Running around after children, working, socialising; we're all so busy being, well, busy that letter writing has kind of been pushed to the bottom of the pile.

When they they do poke through my letterbox from time to time nothing beats opening the envelope to reveal the carefully selected card or headed paper full of words written from a loved one's hand straight from their head. A letter can be packed full of words, tumbling over each other, eager with news and excited with sharing or simple, sweet and straight to the point. Love letters, letters from friends, letters of concern, sympathy, elation, congratulations,  or simply 'catch-up' letters - I don't know if I'd be happy in this world with no beautiful letters landing on my doormat.

So I thought that over the next few weeks I could share a few of the greatest letters with you and spread the joy of writing! Until next week...

Photo source Jade alyse Writes