Writing Letters in The Age of Disappearing Messages
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Dear Readers,
Today we’ll talk about writing letters in the age of disappearing messages.
As a 22-year-old, who has never been a big fan of texting, just the idea of disappearing messages makes me cringe. But a few months into the disappearing Instagram and WhatsApp stories and now Facebook stories, I’ve made peace with it. And I’m finally a little comfortable in using them.
But. And there’s always a but. I’m not convinced that disappearing messages, texts, and video calls are enough to communicate everything we are capable of communicating. So I tried writing a letter.
“Writing a letter in the age of disappearing messages?”, I know it sounds bizarre, overly complex, but also, a hell lot romantic. So, before I talk about my experience. I’d like to talk about how I did it.
Anyone who wants to send a Letter will need to follow these steps:
Step 1: You must find a person you’d like to send a letter to.
Step 2: You need to write a letter. Well, this is kinda obvious.
Step 3: Then you need to get it printed. (Because my handwriting is crap. You may choose to send a handwritten.)
Step 4: Buy an envelope and carefully put your letter inside it. Seal it.
Step 5: Go to your nearest post-office or any courier service facility.
Step 6: Write down the receiver’s and the sender’s address.
Step 7: Handover the envelope to them. Carefully. Exchange smile. Pay.
Step 8: Don’t inform the receiver that they should expect a letter (just to keep the excitement). But you may tell them in a special case. For example, when there’s a possibility of someone else receiving your letter.
Step 9: Be prepared to receive a long call or text from them. Because I am pretty sure, letters make people happy.
When I wrote a letter for the first time, it felt human. The thought that the receiver will hold that piece of paper in their hands and read and re-read my words. Over and Over. Again and again. That feeling is, you know, pretty.
I feel a higher degree of separation with text messages, video calls are far better, but all these forms of communication cannot deliver the sense of care and importance that a single letter can.
Would you ever like to send a letter to someone? If yes, no need to go through the 9-step-process, use Letterflix and just do Step 1, 2, and 9.
And in the meantime, communicate with texts and occasionally with disappearing messages.
Yours Truly
