The Lost Art of Letter Writing

In the Communication Age, staying in touch with friends and family has never been easier, but there can be a pretty big difference between relaying information and really connecting with people. Most of us take routine moments out of our daily lives to like Facebook statuses, retweet news, and send quick texts, but there's something altogether different – and almost magical – about the exchanging of handwritten letters. .

The social and emotional benefits to letter writing are myriad. Setting aside time to write a letter to a parent or sibling lets them know they're important in ways an e-card just can't. Sending a shared journal back and forth with an old friend or long-distance love is a fun and unique way of sharing secrets (while, at the same time, creating a keepsake that will last a lifetime). Even penning confessions in the form of a letter to ourselves can be an excellent form of DIY therapy.

Apart from strengthening our existing relationships, letters can also help us build new ones. Pen pal exchanges connect people from all over the world who want to learn different languages, read stories from other cultures and make friends.

I hereby cast my vote for us to bring back the lost art of letter writing. Write on!

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org.