August 5, 2013
I have thought about this subject at length, and have written a variety of drafts to explain “Why letters still matter.” Basically, at the end of the day, when all of our gadgets have been shut off, we are still just human. Yep, we’re human beings with all those messy uncomfortable feelings that can keep us up at night. Everything from worry to sadness and grief, to love and joy. And at the basis of it all is the desire to connect.
Sure, gadgets connect us quickly and globally, but impersonally. A deep private connection is traded in for swiftness. Speedy responses connect us on the surface. But is that enough? Humans crave exclusive human contact. Human feelings, from a distance, are best addressed with human touch- a handwritten expression with pen on paper. It’s sometimes called “real mail.”
We crave real mail. As I mentioned in the last post, the simple act of penning a thank you note for an interview creates an impression that can win the job…”It’s magical!” a friend explained. “Letters are Magic!”
And, when thoughtfully considered, the tech savvy generation still prefers a handwritten love letter to an impersonal digital message. Handwritten letters still matter and hold value in this age of sameness.