Does anyone still write letters any more?
Hardly ever, though recently a few letters have been part of my life. Firstly one from an old nursing friend to tell me that her husband had died of cancer a few years ago. I’ve been blithely sending Christmas cards each year, not knowing. I can only assume that she felt unable to talk about it, even in a letter form. It was so lovely to open an envelope, though I was shocked at the contents.
I found myself writing a letter to another old friend – someone I have known since day one of infant school – when her daughter died recently. Somehow a text or email just didn’t seem appropriate. Ditto a dilemma I had about a wedding recently, and I wrote to the bride to explain why I couldn’t attend. again, it just seemed more personal to write a letter. But I must by now be in the minority. (By the way, I still save the stamps as some charities still want them.)
And then I had an aerogramme – remember them? I had entered a letter to The Letters Page – submissions can only be made in a written and posted letter. No emails or texts. Just pure and simple and old-fashioned letters. I din’t win, but was shortlisted and now receive a year’ subscription to their aerogrammes. Some beautifully crafted letters land on my doorstep. No clicks, no swipes. Silence to absorb the words.