I have always found letter writing to be a therapeutic experience. When I was younger, I would adorn my letters with art work, often going to the extent of staining the paper with liquid from coffee and tea in order to create an antique look. Today, the act of preparing for it itself is an incredible experience. I start with choosing the paper, usually bought from Chimanlal, I fill my trusty Sheaffer fountain pen with ink, put on some soft music and I’m ready to put pen to paper.
Letter writing for me is an expression of love. I appreciate the time taken out to write a letter, the thought and the effort behind it. Letter writing also allows for pause, which I think is more important today than ever. Other forms of communication like Whatsapp, emails, etc are quick and in that speed it does not give enough time to think about whether I really want to say what I have, would I say that had I taken a pause, is it offering me clarity along with the person receiving it, is it worth saying? Letter writing, on the other hand forces me to take my time. It allows me to build clarity along the way, it allows me to read and reread to see if I really want to communicate what I have before I get a chance to send it. It allows me to sit with my thoughts, feelings and emotions long enough before sending it out.
For me, it has been a therapeutic experience. It allows me to choose my words with as much care as the act itself. It offers me time to slow down and it allows me to speak from my heart.
In more recent times, I have used letter writing as a medium to help me heal. And, to be honest, there have been many times that I have torn the letters after, quite often not having sent them out at all.
I have written a letter to my deceased mother in law, having lost her very abruptly without getting a chance to say goodbye. I have written to my father telling him how much I miss his guidance and support in my life today. I have written about my insecurities and fears. I have written about my hopes and dreams. I have written to my daughter sharing my limited wisdom with her. Most of these letters are with me still and will not see a post office anytime soon.
My latest letter has been one I have written to the 2 year old me, sharing with her the journey that she would embark on over the next 48 years. I placed a picture of myself taken on my 2nd birthday, in front of me, so that I could write to that little girl.
This letter is an expression of love, of gratitude for the life experiences I have had. It is a symbol of hope to everyone who feels pain and feels stuck and feels like they cannot look ahead. It is an acknowledgement of a life well lived. It’s a journey of becoming me. It’s a love letter that talks about forgiveness, accepts mistakes and makes a promise towards gentleness. It’s my life story written by me, to me.
I do hope more people find value in connecting with each other through this beautiful medium and revive this art of letter writing once again. I hope my experiences with letter writing inspire you to pick up that pen (does not need to be Sheaffer), and write to a loved one, whoever that may be.
