I've Written a Letter

2 minuten leestijd

A piece of old fashion technology used to communicate between people who live at great distance to one another. A handwritten story or note on a piece of paper which is sealed away from prying eyes and given to the mailman whose sole job it is to get your letter to the intended person. There is almost no way to know if the letter arrived or if it was lost during its journey, only by receiving a letter in return do we know it has arrived. It’s a communication based on trust.

Because of its nature, a letter takes more attention than any electronic messaging ever will. It makes you think about what you write and how you phrase it. Every word makes the page longer and every page makes the letter physically heavier, for the mailman and the recipient. It’s a medium which slows everything down, the writing, the delivering, the reading, and the replying. It makes us more conscious about our replies.

This medium, in the digital world of today, gives a sense of care and devotion. It’s easy to send an electronic mail to 2000 people, but doing the same with a physical letter is something completely different. It takes time and effort and cannot be automated, you have to do it yourself, one by one. It has more value. It makes it real.

Now it’s your turn to write a letter, get a piece of paper and dust off that pen of yours. Write a letter to someone you care about, your mum or dad, your best friend or the president. Give it to the mailman and maybe you’ll get a reply, you just have to wait.

Wat denk jij? Stuur eens een mail!