The Power of Handwritten Letters

Nowadays, people only handwrite letters if it’s someone’s birthday, and even that tends to be driven by an obligation rather than one’s heart. Ironically, we develop emotional depth and eloquence as we get older, only to write less personally. This dexterity in our hands and minds are belittled by real responsibilities and the lack of time. Handwriting letters is time-consuming and effortful, hence a down-sloping trend over our lifetime and an injustice to our evolving capabilities. 

Handwriting letters should not be based on measures of efficiency like other tasks, because it carries so much more power and beauty than just sending a DM. Handwritten letters are designed intentionally and crafted delicately, unlike our daily rambles and thoughts, which tend to roam about wherever they want. Letters are not only a form of communication, but also of curation. It requires us to be much more conscious and purposeful with our words since our minds have to pour out in compact sizes through mere scribbles. And these scribbles aren’t easy. For instance, in forging our thoughts into words, we better understand the weight of our language as we can literally see it in front of our eyes. And we also have a very low chance of recalling or taking back what we have written. Once it is given, it belongs to another. Hence, it is true that it is effortful and time-consuming to write. But as a recipient, we have something physical to hold on to, whether that is some time or someone. And as a writer, we have our freedom to be creative abstractly and materially while also constructing a spiritual moment for another. Because we understand these efforts and sincerity, it affects our hearts in just the right way. Now that is the power of a handwritten letter. 

So please, do not neglect handwritten letters for their workload. They are more than just labor. Just like art, there are so many implicit steps and possible interpretations within. For example, here’s a sample of thought processes I had as I read through a handwritten letter:

1. This specific card you chose to write on shows that you found this design cute/pretty/appropriate. Or, this is what you thought I would like. That’s so sweet. 
2. You crossed out some parts here and there. Maybe you weren’t satisfied with the vocabulary, or maybe you misspelled something. That’s cute.  
3. You share so many stories and thoughts that concern you and me. I love that. It’s amazing that we have already shared so many moments together, and it’s so lovely to know that you spent time thinking about us. 
4. Your handwriting gets messier in the middle and neat again near the end. I’m imagining that your hands got tired, but then you realized it would be unreadable if you kept going like that. Maybe, you wanted a nice finish. Relatable. 
5. I will look back at this one day because this is like a photograph of us. Imagine getting old, reading this again, and thinking about how young, naïve, and silly we were. I can even recall the moment when I first read this letter. I’ll definitely miss what this letter represents. 

Now, these are only a few examples, but all of these effects are remarkable. Through handwriting letters, we grasp a fold of time. We can identify who we were, what we were feeling, what we were into, how we used to write, and so much more! And because these letters are physical, they can serve as memorabilia to remember people we held dear or even a kind of autobiography for ourselves to remember our own presence in others’ words.

We don’t need special occasions to handwrite letters. Holidays and celebrations are nice reasons for the gesture, but it isn’t a requirement. Though we seem to forget, we can write letters whenever we want! A harder question is to whom do we write to? Some basic options include friends, family members, pen-pals, or even Santa. But these can feel a bit daunting to pursue without a clear reason, even if all you want is to do is just lighten up someone’s day. So, I suggest another possible option. Write to yourself! You can write to a past version of yourself, you now, or even your future self! You don’t have to be too organized, or too formal. Just get comfortable, grab a piece of paper and a pen, and write whatever you want to say to yourself. (A tip here is to write like you are writing to a loved one; you are your loved one.) I wrote letters to myself before and it was always such a delight to read it. And it’s really fascinating to see myself from a different perspective. I hope you give it a try! 

Now, beyond writing letters to myself, I recently started a pen pal situation of sorts. Though emailing is easier in terms of communication, the emotional impact and connection I felt when I received the physical letter in my mailbox are still unmatched. It’s difficult to name the feeling accurately, but it is similar to the emotions I felt as a child, and that is something precious. I want to hold on to that. 

Think about the last time you were moved by a handwritten letter. Even if you can’t recall anything recent, that is just more reason why you should try writing one! Share love, build connections, capture moments, and have fun with it! 

If you would like to write for Her Campus Mount Holyoke, or if you have any questions or comments for us, please email hc.mtholyoke@hercampus.com.    

• cards
• Letters
• pen pals