Writing a Letter

I used to spend hours writing letters; I loved it.  It's always meant a lot to me to receive a handwritten letter, but these days, e-mail has taken over.  And, in a way, it's ruined the beauty of the spontaneously poetic English language and the creativity of our personal and defining handwriting.
When I sat down to write this letter, I wasn't sure what I wanted to say or how I wanted to say it, but I also needed to consider the significance of the time I would need to put into this letter for my thought process before I even wrote it.  There is no room for drafts or mistakes.  I cannot backspace to delete a misspelling or misplaced word.  As a writer, I have been known to spend a considerable amount of time on just one sentence or even just one word.  Plus, my handwriting needed to not only be legible, but also, hopefully somewhat aesthetically pleasing to the eye of the reader...  It's been a while.  This was certainly a challenge for me.
There really is so much that goes into the art of sending a card.   First, I had to seek out my stationery in my new house.  Once found, I flipped through the old stationery to find just the right color, texture and sparkle.  I added a little perfume to give the card a soft scent of myself for the reader.  I dug through my writing implements, looking for the proper color and fitting texture, making certain it didn't run on the card.  After I summoned the presence of the handwriting Gods, I put my pen to page and held my breath.  While I wrote, I laughed, paused, thought, giggled, smiled; I was happy. Once finished, I set it out to dry while I prepared dinner, with my friend distinct in my mind's thoughts.  Afterward, I placed it in its envelope, addressed it, stamped it and sealed the note.  The next morning, I woke early to place it in my outgoing mailbox.

What a sweet way to spend an evening.  It was creative, elegant and peaceful.  I love the act of thinking of someone for an evening, and then days later they receive your thoughts.  It's quite a lovely practice that we have given  little time and respect to these past few years.  Is it, perhaps, a dying art?  I highly recommend this challenge.  It certainly breaks up the monotony of everyday life, as well as brings a little color and love directly into someone else's.