Letters

Hello, coffee lovers and avid readers! Welcome to Olive’s Corner at Olive’s Café, where you get insight on thoughts of life.

Here’s my opinion on letters: even through the digital age, I find letters to be a thing that I can cherish.

I understand that not everyone writes letters anymore, especially in the digital age. Now, people aren’t sitting down and writing on sheets of paper but are sending each other quick messages through emails and direct messages. They’re faster and more accessible to send messages, whether they’re next door or on the other side of the world. We don’t have to wait for a long time to receive a message, and we don’t have to worry about trying to figure out what the message says. Unless it’s cryptic, or the messages are like riddles that can be difficult to decipher. We can also attach videos and photos to the messages, and whatever language the letters are written in, we use the translating apps to help.

Although technology is making communication a lot faster and more accessible, I find letters to be special, and it makes me want to start writing to people I know and care about.

Although letters take forever to reach the recipient, at least I don’t have to deal with the amount of spam, or junk mail that I would get, and I would have to keep deleting because they take up space in my devices. I just find them annoying, especially when it’s messages that from strangers, and I don’t even want to think about where they even got my email address.

When I think about letters, it’s not just a method of communication, but also a form of storytelling within the handwriting of the sender. What’s special about handwritten letters is that I can hear voices from the senders from their handwritten letters, they feel authentic and real, more meaningful, and it helps me see everything they see from their eyes. When we share our thoughts on paper, it feels more personal, and I can hold on to them for keepsake. The things that people write in their letters feel like they’re present, as if they’re talking to me. I like how the letters are decorated in a way that brings out their personality, or they do something artistic, or just not do anything extra. I may not be able to send videos in the letters, but I can attach photos that capture moments and send them through mail. At least, that’s what I’ve experienced when I sent and received letters to my friends and family. Of course, not a lot of people have the best handwriting, and rarely anyone writes in cursive, but it’s less distracting than having to read from the screen or print them out. I find reading from handwritten letters, and even writing them, more attractive. It’s as if I don’t get to turn away from the paper.

Many people will disagree with me about letters, especially since we’re so used to everything electronic. However, I’m beginning to find technology annoying and unmotivating as it feels robotic, and I can’t sense anything. I find that I want to write letters more, and I want them to be common again. Of course, someone will mention that there’s a cost to sending letters because of the cost of stamps, but I truly don’t care. I would rather invest in writing and sending letters than have to deal with the excess amount of emails and direct messages, plus the spam and junk mail, even though it’s “free.”

However, lately I’ve seen another way of “sending letters” that’s trending on social media that not only breaks my heart, but also makes me feel emotional.

It’s not on paper, but more like in videos, and the content creators are sending to their younger selves messages of what has changed from their childhood and adolescence. It’s a brilliant trend, and I find it very special because it shows the growth, and it’s comforting for someone who’s been through a lot growing up. I even learned that it’s what helps with self-love and healing. I do plan on doing that for myself, but I’m too afraid to show myself on video. Instead, I think it would be best if I wrote a letter to myself: letters to my younger self, and letters to my future self. With these letters, I can save them in safe place, and wait until a later time to open them. I could be the only person in the world to enjoy writing altogether, but writing on paper is so peaceful, attractive, and beautiful. The memories that are written on paper travels through time with you and are carried away in between spaces.

How do you feel about letters? Do you think that we can still use the opportunity to still write and send them? Or do you feel that they may become obsolete because of technology advancing as time progresses? What’s your opinion on letters?

Thank you for tuning in on Olive’s Corner at Olive’s Cafe!