With My Own Hand – a Year and a Half Later

Back in March, 2012, I attended my uncle’s funeral.  Because of some things I heard and saw there, I took up letter writing – as in pen, paper, stamp, envelope and writer’s cramp.  (Read the details here ... )

Write to whom?

Not counting inmates (I write to anywhere between 3 and 7 people that are incarcerated at any given time), I have written 20 to 25 different people.  Many of them only once (especially the international ones (a global stamp costs $1.10)), but some of them numerous times.  I haven’t kept an official tally, but it is well over 120 letters.

To date (again, excluding inmates) I have received a total of 5 letters from 3 different people.  Mostly I get no response.  Occasionally I get an email response.  Sometimes I get a, “Hey, I got your letter” in a subsequent encounter.  Once I got a book.

The email responses are interesting.  Here is a typical reaction:

Hey there Jim,

I received your letter last week, and I just want to say thank you very much for it. It’s a very unusual and special thing to get a hand-written-anything these days, as it takes so much more thought and effort than an email (like this one).

It takes me about twice as much time to hand-write a letter as opposed to typing in Microsoft Word.  Sometimes I do type, but mostly I write.  The stamp costs me $.46 unless it is international; then it’s $1.10.  I use whatever envelope is lying around, so some go out in greeting card envelopes, others in a personal sized one and sometimes the good ole number 9 or 10.  I’ve used a 6″X9″ writing pad, composition book, hotel stationary, notebook paper and 8.5″X11″ computer paper.  Usually I use whatever ballpoint pen is handy, but have used a fine point flair a few times and once I used a pencil.

I’ve written to former students, my children, siblings, nieces and nephews, old friends, bloggers, people in grief and a couple of letters praising an employee to their boss.  The average letter is about 300 words, but I’ve sent notes with as few as 20 words and a longer epistle of over 3000 words (that one was typed).

Why do I spend the time and money?

I think it matters.  I think it communicates the value and worth of what is written, but more importantly, I thing it communicates the value and worth of the one to whom it is written.  Just the act of writing and sending a letter says, “You are noticed and you are worth this effort.”

Am I disappointed in the response?

No.

I didn’t really expect anything.

Until someone responds, you never know whether or not they even saw it.  It is nice to have a response with which to interact.  I like letters from my pen pals.  But, even without the interaction, it is worth it.  They are worth it.

Whether it is some wisdom I want to pass on to a former student, an old friend I remembered fondly or a blogger who wrote something that touched my heart, they are all people who have added value to my life.  I think it is important that they know that.

So I write . . .

With my own hand.