The Lost Art of Letter Writing November 12, 2015 08:00
Here at UPstudio, we're big believers in the hand-written note. There is nothing more special than receiving fun mail (read: not bills, advertisements, or coupons for window washing). Sure an email or a text message are nice, but they don't feel as personal, or as permanent. I have a collection of letters from my husband from when we were long-distance dating that I'll keep forever. They're that much more special to me because I know he made the effort to sit down with paper and pen and write something out to me. We still talked on the phone every day, but getting something physical in the mail always made my day.
Letters saved from my husband while long distance dating
My grandmother who lives in Virginia just turned 90. She is hard of hearing so we've never been able to talk on the phone. Instead, both my sister and I write a letter to her each week. Usually on Sunday night, I'll take out a note card and write to her about the previous week, and what's coming up next week. A lot of times I'll try to ask her something about her past, how she felt about something going on in the world, what her favorite book is, etc. She loves to receive mail and will send back letters and newspaper clippings that she thinks I'll enjoy (minus that one about wrinkles, what was up with that, grandma?! #selfconciousnow)
Imagine a scenario like this: You've been dating someone for a while and feelings have grown stronger. Suddenly, your boyfriend sends you this text message: "I luv u". You respond with "I luv u 2". How sweet. In order to cherish this forever, you take a screen shot of it and it becomes the background on your phone. Scenario #2: you thoughtfully pick out a gift for a friend or family member that you spent weeks looking for. It is sent to them, and you're excited to hear their reaction. You receive an email that reads "Thanks for the gift". See what I mean? Nothing can replace the simple act of writing a letter, mistakes and all, and sending it to someone that you care about.
We encourage you to take the time to write notes when you want to thank someone, tell them something important, or just make a person smile. It might not be practical to send a letter every time, but on the times that it is, make it count. Especially in this technology-centric world that we live in, take a minute to slow down, write something out, and send it. I guarantee you that the person on the receiving end will appreciate it more than you know.
Now think about this scenario: you're warm and dry at home as the fall temperatures set in, cozy by a fire with a warm drink in your hands. Scenario #2: You're away at war for months at a time, with little to no contact with your friends and family. The mail is handed out, but you receive none. On the days that you do get mail, you feel that much more comforted and appreciated.
Yesterday was Veteran's Day, and we are humbled by the sacrifices that our military has made for us. This blog post isn't an official letter, but it is certainly one way that we are proud to say thank you to the brave men and women who protect this country. Thank you to those who have served, or who are currently serving. Instead of taking just one day to honor and thank our military, we encourage you to consider sending a note of appreciation throughout the year. There are many ways that you can do this, but one way that we have been a part of is through Soldier's Angels. They offer different platforms of volunteering, but we especially like the Letter Writing Team. In this team, you can choose how many letters to write and how often. You are sent a name and address, and then write a letter to a soldier. I've done this for several years and don't always get a response, but when I do, it is very obvious how much the letter that was sent is appreciated. Bonus: it makes you feel just as good to send the letter as it does for them to receive it.
We believe in letter writing and thanking our military so much, that we're offering to send you a complimentary Everyday Card and envelope so that you can pass it along to a soldier or a veteran. Just send an email to hello@upstudionc.com with your name and address and we'll send one along. Join us in helping to make someone's day!
American Flag on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh