Dear Reader, During this past year, I participated in a pen pal program sponsored by a local chapter of The Agency on Aging. I was given the name of a young girl, an 8th grader at a nearby middle school. We exchanged letters once a month. She had the double challenge of not only having to communicate her thoughts through letter writing, but she needed to handwrite in cursive. Over the course of a few months, Isa’s handwriting had vastly improved. I could tell she was definitely practicing her script.
Today, we met for the first time. The school, along with The Agency on Aging, hosted a celebratory meetup in their cafeteria. It was a great time. Most of my pen friends I have only met on the page, so it was fun to actually be across the table from this young woman I have exchanged months of letters with.
There is no obligation for Isa to continue writing to me. I gave her a gift of stationery, and small packet of thank you notes, stamps and a pen. I said if she wished to keep writing to me, I would be honored. However, above all else, I want her to “Keep writing letters.”
There was a cursive alphabet practice sheet on the cafeteria table, and Isa immediately took her new pen in her left hand and began scripting her letterforms. I was wowed. She told me that she writes faster in cursive, and she added that writing by hand helps her remember things better.
We were joined by Isa’s friend Isabella, whose pen pal could not make the meeting. I invited both girls to write to me if they liked….
We’ll see. I’ll let you know if our letter writing story continues.
Fingers crossed. -Carol