The art of penning letters: sounds divinely grand; on pretty, fancy stationary: an item to be desired; but honestly speaking, writing a letter on plain white notebook paper works beautifully and as an added bonus penciled drawings throughout the letter, if time affords, give charm that can not be purchased with any amount of money.
There's a shoebox in my closet filled with handwritten letters from a dear friend.We have enjoyed years of writing letters to one another, so much sharing back and forth. I remind her that when she becomes "famous", her family must be informed to contact me because I have bits of her life in print that would help write her biography. Bits of life..... rather like some blogs I imagine. Family, husband and children(her six, my four), recipes, gardening, knitting, sewing, moving to different locations, animals and pets, vacations, books read, almost any subject is open to be expressed at any given time.
When I receive a letter from her I find a comfortable spot, sit myself down and immediately indulge myself with every single word written on those pages. I have smiled, laughed, sighed and cried upon reading her letters. She speaks to me through these words and unlike computers, it is in her own handwriting and that is what makes it have a poignancy of delight upon which there is no substitute.
There is a favorite biography of mine entitled,
More Love To Thee, The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss by George Lewis Prentiss. A large part of this book includes letters written by her and to her from family members, friends and acquaintances. These letters make her real and you are able to relate to the diurnality of her life as you read. You see her strengths and weakness, her struggles and her victories.
It is all worth writing, with a pen in hand on paper.
Love that endures over a lifetime is not a result of a decision made once; but one that is made over and over again, the same choice..... the same person. I would make the same choice I made thirty-one years ago as I stood at the church's altar in the presence of God and many witnesses and said," I Do".
