Letters

Letters

This past week I received a few letters – a love letter, a hate letter, an introduction letter, a few friendly letters and, no letter where one was expected.

I have nostalgia for letters – the old fashioned handwritten ones. Much of the pleasure in sending and receiving letter is knowing that it was a true investment of emotion. And time. With the invention of the e-mail, I feel there is no longer much time invested in composing a thoughtful letter. We simply write headlong, relying on the spell check and putting our faith in the backspace key. We no longer need to think before we write. I miss receiving thoughtfully handwritten letters.

My favorite letters are the introduction letters. It never fails – whenever I reply to a new friend’s letter of introduction, I revert back to my teenage years. From the moment of the keystroke that sends my reply, I eagerly await the response. The dialogue. The banter. The anticipation. If his writing style is a reflection of his personality, then the exchange of letters – however prolonged it may be – only serve to increase my anticipation about what our first meeting might be like.

The hate letter – It is only hateful when it comes from someone whom I thought was a friend. A person’s writing style is a dead giveaway. I know who you are. And I mourn the loss of a friend.

The love letter – Thank you, I am very flattered.

No letter – words should not be cheap and should be used very cautiously.