Writing Letters Strengthens Connection
How written letters can connect us to others and a deeper self.
Did you ever hear the song “I’m going to sit right down and write myself a letter”? “To write a letter is human, to receive a letter is divine”? Are you looking for ways to ignite a relationship deeper than you might otherwise have thought possible?
Sitting down and writing letters, even to oneself, still plays a significant role in modern society. Not only are they capable of conveying complex ideas and emotions, but they also connect people and build positive relationships. Handwritten letters not only convey the writer’s emotions, they are also viewed as significant. Why? Because a handwritten letter shows the receiver that you made the effort and cared enough to do something very personal. It’s incredibly personalized and unique. People will always view handwritten as much more personal than less impactful digital forms of communication, as it takes more time and effort to send a letter through the mail. They are the best thing to convey importance, connection, and sincerity to the receiver. And don’t forget about thank you cards and letters.
Just think about how good it feels when you read someone else’s handwritten letter addressed to you. You can typically tell how they felt when they wrote the letter knowing that it’s impossible to replicate the uniqueness of one’s handwriting, further highlighting the personal element that handwritten letters provide.
You probably never realized that the simple act of putting pen (or pencil) to paper is a surefire way to connect to loved ones and increase not only your happiness but theirs as well. Did you also know that the simple act of writing a letter is linked to significant mental health benefits?
So go out and find yourself a reason to put your thoughts on paper to a “pen pal” who will be thrilled and will long to reconnect through the benefits of snail mail. I know a grandfather who to this day writes letters to his grandchildren and reaps the benefits of reading letters back addressed to him. Imagine the thrill he gets reading the words of his grandchildren, no less their excitement while opening an envelope addressed to them.
Writing a letter:
Helps develop a strong sense of accomplishment
Increases clarity and gives us a new perspective
Fosters connection and community while it deepens personal relationships
Creates serendipity and joy for both the sender and the receiver
Letters of gratitude have a direct correlation to happiness.
Love letters are the way words can get pretty because the writer is in love.
Notes of condolences are more impactful when handwritten.
Thank you notes or cards for weddings, friendships, bar and bat mitzvahs, the birth of a child, and all the holiday greetings you choose to send out, will keep a strong connection between people perpetuated long into the future. But we must instill this connection into the hearts and hands of our children.
Create your own space that will set a “moodof encouragement” to help you write what lies deep within your heart. Always have stamps handy and buy or make your own personal stationery or note cards. That makes the anticipation of sending and getting a letter in response twice as exciting and personal.
Stay consistent. Letter writing takes practice, while repetition is essential to cultivate both a time, place, and space to nurture the seed of connection.
Take time to start a tradition of writing love letters to those you never get a chance to tell how much they mean to you, and no doubt by doing just that, you will feel more deeply connected to your own heart.
How about sending missives into the future telling your loved ones how you feel about them, or writing letters to be read on dates of specific milestones (graduation, marriage, the birth of a baby). It’s one of the most precious things you can give and also serves to keep memories alive.
Kids today are growing up so overprotected that they’re afraid of the world around them. We need to start letting them do things on their own — like going to the store, riding a bus, taking a younger sibling for a walk, writing letters, or a host of other simple gestures of kindness that will add significant richness to their lives and to those around them. These things are the cheapest, fastest, and easiest things to do and may help them to put a “bounce in their step.” They’re also not all that risky and can cost nothing — or very little.
Writing a letter is the purest form of friendship we humans can possibly express. We capture ourselves in the moment, only to lovingly give that splendid moment to someone else. To send a letter is a grand way to allow yourself to go to places you’ve never been without moving anything but your heart.
I love handwritten letters. I hope you do as well dear friends.
Blessings,
Naomi
Well, I love writing letters! I don’t receive very many, but it would be great to get back in the habit. I do think a handwritten note lends a personal touch to letters and thank yous and thinking of you cards. I always add a few lines to a pre -made card so the recipient knows how much I care. Keeping a journal and writing in the first person is something I have done at critical times in my life. My mother had Alzheimer’s disease and I often read what I wrote at that time. It eases the pain and makes the reality acceptable. I vividly remember writing love letters and receiving them many years ago. Writing letters creates a memory bank of relationships from the past. I even wrote letters to a family friend that spent three years in prison! He has never forgotten receiving them and how much he looked forward to them. Snail mail is a lost practice but maybe we can all just get back into now! Send a note for a special occasion or for no reason at all, to someone you’ve lost contact with. Thank you Drake, for bringing back a blast from the past! We can make it a new, but old way of corresponding.