I’ve always been a writer. English class was the best when were in the “creative writing” module, and call me a total dweeb, but I adored vocab lists. I loved being able to look back through my composition notebook, full of those 2-3 minute quick writes we’d do at the beginning of class, just pages and pages of my own handwriting slightly embossing the back of each sheet. I love the sound of a piece of notebook paper that’s been decorated with handwriting- if you listen closely, it’s a more delicate, musical sound than a piece of printer paper. My mom has always had the most dignified handwriting- the kind that should adorn wedding envelopes or love letters. Flourishes, swoops, and the elegant, consistent slant of cursive that I’ve never quite seemed to grasp.

Maybe that love of handwriting is what drew me to Matt- he was so shy when we first began to get to know each other that in order to draw conversation out of him, I’d write questions in the back of my journal and pass it his way. Entire afternoons were spent conversing like this while we’d hang out with friends on Summer Project, and as a result, I have the record of our first conversations. Matt’s always known how much I treasure handwritten notes, so when he’d come down to visit me at Radford, he’s always make sure to hide folded up love notes in the pockets of my various jackets for me to happen upon after he’d left.

Handwritten notes

Perhaps it’s because, living in the technologically-savvy world we live in, electronic communication is faster, easier, more efficient, and thus taking the time to write something by hand holds more value. Maybe it’s that mail from the postman is so infrequently hand-addressed that seeing my name written with an actual pen is enough to lift my spirits. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because a letter penned by hand says more than whatever the words on the page spell out- to me, it says “I cared enough to find a stamp, envelope, and few minutes of time to write to you.”

By the way, AGP couples- I hope you all know I keep every handwritten note I get from y’all!

Handwritten notes

What about you all? When was the last time you received something handwritten in the mail?

Everyone Loves a Classic- handwritten letters

July 26, 2013

  1. Ashley says:

    I too am a huge fan of handwritten notes and cards. While I don’t receive them myself, I like to send random letters and cards to friends and family letting them know I’m thinking about them.

  2. Michelle says:

    Hey! I see something I recognize there!

    I also completely agree with you. There’s just something about hand written notes that is so genuine that email could never capture.

  3. Amanda says:

    I love handwritten notes, and amazing note cards. Love the paper source ones. I still believe in sending invites, and cards thru the mail – nothing beats it!

  4. Megan says:

    Yay for handwritten notes! I see ours 😉

  5. Mia Bjerring says:

    Over the years I’ve had a few penpals and I have saved and treasured every handwritten letter and gift they’ve sent me. I love handwritten letters and I love writing them too!

  6. Karen Field says:

    Abby, your Great, Great Grandfather on my side of the family was the one who started the standard for beautiful handwriting and then my father, whom you never met as he was deceased when you came along, had copied his father’s handwriting, altering just one aspect. Either he couldn’t or didn’t like the slant so his beautiful cursive was straight as an arrow vertical, still gorgeous enough to hand write wedding invitations for small weddings. I carried on this family tradition only I added back the slant because school training insisted on the slant. Basically, I had to do cursive at school their way but came home to practice my own adaptation of my heritage. So thank you for commenting on my handwriting. I always have it as a daily reminder of my Dad and my Grandfather. I taught myself calligraphy in order to write all of my invitations for my wedding. Last of all, yesterday, I received a handwritten Get Well card from an e-mail friend with a note in it. That DID make me feel just a little bit better!

  7. Jean says:

    I love hand written notes and cards. I am sorry that it is declining. A lot of history was saved by folks saving letters from loved ones. I have a stash of some of those, myself. Who will read them when I am gone?

  8. Sarah H. says:

    I most recently got a card in the mail from my best friend back in the States. It made my day!

  9. Kristen Duffy says:

    I LOVE LETTERS. They’re the best! And if we’re talking about this in terms of love languages, maybe it’s even more special because it’s quality time + (usually) words of affirmation. Double love. 🙂

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