Yesterday I posted about emojis and the death of the written word. It generated quite a dialogue and one of the themes that emerged was how much people miss receiving, and sending, letters. You know, in the post. Stamps? Envelopes? Am I ringing any bells here people? It brought back to me the excitement and anticipation of receiving mail from penpals. There is something in the care and attention of writing and posting a letter that cannot be replicated into today’s ‘junk food’ society of e-mail, text and social media messaging.
So today’s post is a challenge to you all. Whether or not you choose my metaphorical gauntlet throwing is entirely up to you. It’s a challenge to write a letter and post it to a fellow blogger. Or bloggers if you are feeling particularly inspired. It can be anything. A few lines or your life story. It can include art, poetry, photographs, whatever rocks your boat. The central message here is reaching out across the online abyss and physically connecting with a fellow human being.
There are a few rules. The letter has to be handwritten. No typing you lazy, lazy people. The other person has to have agreed to co-operate. Although, otherwise how would you have obtained their address. Duh Stephen! And although I hate to even have to say this but I’m afraid I must – please refrain from any abusive and offensive material. That would make me cross. And nobody wants to see that.
If you are up for the challenge then simply comment below, telling us who you are hoping to write to and why. Feel free to share this blog and let’s spread this message throughout the blogging community. Or maybe you want to blog yourself about your letter writing process? Include photos of your lavishly decorated envelopes, journey to the mail box or exquisite handwriting. Let’s get writing
Are you willing to accept the letter writing challenge?
Who would you like to write to and why?
What are you going to include in your letter?
Feel free to reblog if you think this is a good idea.
This is a great idea!!!
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Thank you π
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Great idea… but I am getting lazy these days… (guilty again… π)
πππ
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No excuses π
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π«
π±
πππ
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(And you noticed it was all about smileys… ππππ)
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Well obviously π€ͺ
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I do still write the occasional letter to friends, and received one back last weekend. Yes, it was lovely to see the handwritten envelope in amongst the bills. Nice idea.
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Yes itβs all bills for us as well π
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I think its a lovely idea…however I’m new to the blog world so still navigating my way around to connect with other bloggers.
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Iβm sure you will soon make lots of new friends π
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Wonderful idea! π
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Thank you π
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I’m in! I could write Lixie a proper letter, or for that matter anyone. Hmmm…. Recipies? Photos? Fun fun stuff!
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Who is Lixie? Pardon my ignorance.
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I am light years behind on this, my apologies. Lixie is a friend of mine from Catalonia – I believe her blog here is A Loser’s Corner? She’s terribly clever, and we do e-mail a bit. But still, a proper letter is such a treat.
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I thought you were going to match us all up. “Comment below, and then send me an e-mail and I’ll hook you up.”
Some peoples don’t even list a contact on their blog.
For the record, I have a contact form and would love to hear from anyone wanting to be pen pals.
Come to think of it, my aunt started this a few years back and I got terribly busy…
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If you send me a list of bloggers you would like to be matched up with then Iβll select one at random to write you a letter π
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Ha! You and Katie, of course!
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Thatβs a massive compliment. Sheβs a great blogger. Thank you π
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I got really excited and happy when I read that, and then I realised that of course there are probably hundreds of Katieβs out there and you probably werenβt referring to me at all! Ha! That serves me right for getting above myself! Xx
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Whatever. Of COURSE it’s you.
There may be hundreds of Katies out there, but (so far) I only follow one.
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Now I really CAN feel happy! Thank you very much. Hugs and more hugs!
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How many Stephenβs do you follow?
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Just one of those, too. π I love reading you guys, but maybeI should expand my Readers Feed…
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Oh, and a Steve -but that’s totally different than “Stephen.”
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Thereβs only one Katie I follow as well. Of course itβs you silly π
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Yay!! Awwww, now Iβve just got a goofy grin on my face!
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Reblogged this on gregoryjoel.com and commented:
I read this today and thought I’d share it with you all. I love letters! It’s so much easier to shoot a text or an email but there’s something about something tangible that I can hold in my a hand, that really excites me. It’s the same way with books. I rad the news etc. on the computer but they can’t take the place of a book in hand. Enjoy my friends!
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I am indeed lazy about written correspondence –even birthday cards (but I send them even late) Your blog has triggered desires to have deeper conversation on certain topics with you both but I have restrained myself because I do not ATTACK people on social media and do not like seeing it.
IE FB, instagram commentaries, opinions, etc. I would love to correspond with you personally sharing values, thoughts, and ideas via mail if you should so choose to render your address privately.
I am not sure how to navigate that as I am unwilling to reveal my exact location to “the world” via internet. Let me know if you are agreeable and/or knowledgeable as to how to privately exchange information.
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Those who may like to have snail mail correspondence with me are welcome to initiate contact via the “About Christine” page at my flagship blog site (https://wp.me/P30cCH-1).
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Here’s my email: lsjax04@gmail.com.
Could you email me your home address? Then I’ll send you mine βΊ
Can’t wait! This is going to be fun.
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Will do madam! ππ»
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Alrighty π
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Having problems with your e mail. Can you send me a message via our contacts page and Iβll let you know our address. Thanks
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Yes, I’ll do that now.
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Iβve just e-mailed you our address π
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I saw it! βΊ
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Itβs fun. Like having a grown up pen pal. But I canβt remember we the last time I bought stamps. Where do you even buy stamps anymore?
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Er….the stamp shop? π€ͺ
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Is that a thing?
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Also known as a post office.
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Post office, post office… hmmm doesnβt ring a bellπ§
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I think they have them in the old western movies. But I could be wrong π€
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Oh right, the room with tiny lockers where people stand around holding oversized boxes and nobody at the counter helps you. I think I remember now.
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Ha Ha! Yes thatβs the one π
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Great idea, I love sending notes in the email, but receiving them is even better. I would do it in a heartbeat.
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Well then I encourage you to go for it and write a letter today π
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I will π
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Anyone interested drop an e mail via our contacts page and Iβll tell you our address π
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Reblogged this on Bye Bye Church and commented:
In today’s world of email, texting, and the interwebs, isn’t it fun to get real mail that is handwritten and adorned just for you? Here’s a challenge you might want to try. Oh and if you live in the US, leave me a comment and I will send you a personal hand lettered (brush lettered) note from yours truly π
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Does that extend to followers in Ireland? π
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And what of you? How many letters will you be writing? Katie
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It will be a small and exclusive list lol. To be honest Iβve only had one or two people said they would participate so far.
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Iβll write to you.
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Great. Send an e mail and Iβll let you know our address π
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Sounds like fun. I remember back in the 1980’s having pen pals. There was even a monthly magazine where you could choose who you wanted to be pen pals with based on interests/hobbies. These letter would be long. It was great!
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Thank you. If youβre interested drop a line to our contacts page and Iβll send you our address π
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I’d be willing to attempt the challenge. I’d love to write to you Stephen and Fionnuala. I think I would include the everyday goings on in my neck of the world, like a bird I see outside my window or an unexpected flower that’s bloomed in my vegetable garden, that is if I had one which I don’t. Anyway, I’d write about those bits that get lost in the “big news” but they’re just as important and would like a bit of noticing. At least I think they would.
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Thank you. Send an e-mail via our contacts page and Iβll let you know our address π
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handwritten sentiments of the posted kind I love these, I actually just sent a postcard to a fellow blogger
~B
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Good for you π
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I LOVE this idea! I would love to send and receive letters. It’s a lost art!
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Iβve just e-mailed you our address π
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I love hand-writing letters, they’re so much more personal and meaningful because they take so much additional effort to write. Also, there’s something relaxing about putting pen to paper to communicate. I have a handful of friends who communicate via snail mail that I’ve been meaning to write–thanks for the reminder!
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I would love to get some real letters from real people. They are so much fun to get in the mail. I am open to anyone that wants to write to me. Just send me a message on my blog!!
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hahaha for some reason when I saw the mailbox, I got a mental image of participants, writing a letter, taking a picture, and posting it hahaha. I don’t know why π
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Thatβs not a bad idea actually π
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hahahahaha
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I would love to write! I’m part of a penpal group on Facebook and writing letters has been so much fun!
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Thatβs great. Drop me an e-mail and Iβll send you our address π
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The good old days. Yes, I remember the anticipation. This is a great idea. It would be nice to receive a mail from someone instead of just bills. The only time I got mail is when my Mom sends me a card. I’ll pick you Stephen, and this is my email address waterandfir3@hotmail.com. Does PO Boxes count?
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Yes of course they do. Thank you π
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What great comments. So glad im not the only one who is missing old fashioned communication..!!
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Thank you π
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Yes, letter writing is becoming a lost art! I exchange hand-written letters with my missionary friend in Tanzania. It’s a little miracle when I get one of her letters in my mailbox.
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Sounds lovely. Shae is going to write to us. Are you okay with that?
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Absolutely. She and I did discuss it and I think it’s a great idea.
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I have a personal practice of sending personal hand-written notes to people. It is amazing how people will respond. I think I have a 100 percent reciprocity rate from my letter writing efforts. It is good to read that others, too, cherish this mode of communication.
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Although I like the idea, my handwriting was poor at school (I missed the early classes due to illness), and it has definitely grown worse over the 54 years since leaving school and constant use of a keyboard. In fact, the only way I can read my own handwriting is to print in CAPs, so I’d never subject anyone else to such torture!
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I prefer the smell of ink in a book and feeling the pages turn to the luminescent screen of an e-reader, I prefer a homemade valentine with a message to a Hallmark card bought in a store, I prefer receiving a card snail mail to a text or IM.
I recently sent a card to the UK to a person met online. I never received anything back. Even more recently I broke all the rules and gave a fellow blogger here my phone number so we could text first with the hopes of meeting for coffee. It was reciprocated!
I think life is about human connection. Some want it, some do not. Neither is right or wrong. We can live in faith or live in fear.
For me no matter how much pain Iβve endured, I choose connnection. We were put here to love one another.
I like opening up real letters, will you send one to my P.O Box Stephen?
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Of course I will. E-mail me the address and Iβll happily write to you. But only if you write back π
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One small problem, I donβt have your email π
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If you go to the contacts tab on the blog you can leave a message. Is that ok? Itβs fracturedfaithblog@gmail.com
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I love writing letters! I write to friends in two states and mail them letters regularly. I am always up for more pen pals. This is a wonderful idea! Count me in!
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I got your e mail. Will send you a letter over the next week. Is that ok?
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Sounds great!!
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I hope youβre not a Patriots fan though? π
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Not a sports fan at all.
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Fantastic idea. I remember in elementary school having to pic a pen pal at the beginning of the school year and continue writing to them school. I love it!
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Thank you π
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I try to write a written letter weekly – although it turns out to be about 1-2 a month, it feels good to do it, and I love when I get one in return. There is nothing better than making another feel special, because they are!! Thank you for putting this out there!!
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Youβre welcome. Thank you for keeping the art of letter writing alive.
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I’ve come very late to this party, but have contacted you.
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Thank you π
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I write letters to my friends all the time, so I’d be more than willing to write a letter!
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joelle.a.lewis@gmail.com
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Thank you π
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I am currently sending cards to bloggers! I am thoroughly enjoying it too! π
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Good for you π
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I would like to participate! I don’t know any bloggers very well yet, and I think this would be a good opportunity to get to know someone.
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Hi Amy. We are organising a Christmas card exchange at present. Just drop an e mail to us with your details. Thank you π
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