The Art of Writing Letters

Call me romantic, call me old-school. But in the age of digital communication, I still write letters on stationery I made myself out of scrap-booking materials and old magazines. 

Communication these days is so easy and convenient that we take it for granted. Saying I miss you takes no effort when you can text it in 10 seconds. Why wait for a letter to arrive in the mailbox of the one you love when you can e-mail the or DM them in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram?

Because letters takes effort. And effort matters nowadays when everything is instant. 

I still write letters because putting thoughts into words, writing them as beautifully as I can, and walking the extra mile to bring the letter to the post office is my way of expressing how much a person means to me. It is the kind of feeling that cannot be contained in a piece of cold text. Some words won't feel as warm as when they are actually written on paper with ink. 

In high school, my barkada(clique) was fond of writing letters to each other. I still have some of my best girlfriends up to this day. There is something precious in opening an old shoe box where old letters were kept and rereading letters from friends I treasure the most. The letters, to me, are like physical evidence of their love to me. The letters are tangible remnants of old days gone by.

And even if in the future, people will start communicating through telepathy, I'd still write letters every now and then. 

Here are creative ideas to up your letter-writing game:

1. Instead of using a store-bought stationery, make your own. DIY them and let your personality come through. Here are more creative ideas in decorating your letter.

2. Doodles are fun. Doodle on the letter, doodle on the envelop. Tell a story with your doodles. Here are more creative ideas. Other ideas in this link.

3. Have a theme for your letter. Suggestions:

• Create a list of your day into 24 hours and write a thought for each hour
• Make a list of 100 things you love about them. Be creative with it!
• List your favorite memories with your significant othe
• List the things you’ll do once you’re together

4. Send a letter in the form of a contract. Send a “legal” declaration of your love. Sign and date it, and maybe even include a cute official stamp over it for “validity.” I mean to do this once I learn how to write legal contracts in law school.

5. Just go ahead and be corny. Don't hold back. Let your loved ones know how special they are. You'll never know if you'll have more opportunities to send a friend a thank you note, tell your husband/wife I love you, or tell your mom she's the best. Here's a link on elements of a good letter.