Envelopes

Way back in the dark ages of my youth, long-distance telephone calls were very expensive. My mother rarely called her relatives in Ohio and Pennsylvania. To keep in touch, they often sent letters to each other. Not all the relatives reciprocated, but my Aunt Grace—Mom’s sister—was the most faithful correspondent. Her handwriting was atrocious and I found deciphering her words a difficult task. However, every one of her letters was treasured—read and reread.

Aunt Grace wrote to everyone who wrote to her. As I grew up, she wrote letters specifically to me. When my oldest daughter was able to grasp the intricacies of cursive writing, Aunt Grace directed letters to her. A letter from Aunt Grace usually consisted of advice—but she dished it out in clever and amusing ways. For instance, when my sister was seeking Mr. Right, Aunt Grace suggested a new wardrobe which included a dashing chapeau and a cute little dog. My sister was supposed to take the dog to the boardwalk and stroll about. She was bound to attract attention in that manner.

One of the saddest things about our changing world is the demise of the art of writing letters. I will be the first to admit I love Facebook. It’s a great way for keeping in touch with far-flung relatives. I know where my daughters are. I know my niece is going to the cabin for the weekend. I enjoy seeing everyone’s photographs. However, correspondence on the internet is usually kept to a minimum amount of words. Today’s youngsters will probably never receive a single handwritten letter in their entire lifetime. There are four- and five-year old children who do not know the word envelope.

There are very few people who write letters anymore. Lately, I only write letters to my sister-in-law because she writes back. We talk on the phone occasionally, too, but a letter in the mail is a nice surprise--something to keep.

For those of you who have no idea how to start writing a letter, I found an interesting site that might be helpful http://auspost.com.au/education/letterwriting/students/personal-letters.html

Send someone special a letter. It’s the next best thing to being with them and they can cherish it forever.