Each year, Universal Letter Writing Week falls on the second full week of January. This opportunity occurs between January 12th through the 18th, 2025. “Universal” means we can join other letter writers from around the globe to do what we love, write letters.
Dear Reader, I am sending you this notice in advance, so you can gather your supplies at home- pens, stationery, cards, envelopes, addresses and stamps. And, I’m also throwing in a challenge- to write one card or note each day. See this is as the nudge you need to jot that thank you note that you’ve been procrastinating over. Or maybe someone needs a cheery hello to brighten their day during this very cold Winter.
Do letters still matter? Yes, they do. As handwritten letters become more scarce, they become more valuable. “Gift-wrapped words,” is how Margaret Shepherd describes them. They are private, “for you only.” They showcase the writer’s unique penmanship. And they convey a very personal moment in time that is documented on the paper held in your hands.
Let’s do this short 7 day challenge together. Just one card or note per day. How about 15 minutes of your time? That should be doable. You can set the timer and finish up after the buzzer, if needed. Or, just slow down and indulge yourself. Think of it as a “getting your feet wet again.” And, for those who don’t have anyone to write to, you could pen a general “My dear friend” note to anyone at your local senior center. Loneliness is an epidemic among our senior population. Saying briefly that “someone is thinking of you today, “might be just what a “my dear friend” needs….Then, drop your notes off at a senior center or home to be randomly distributed. Simply write to “My Dear Friend” on the envelope. Leave envelope unsealed. No return address is needed.
OK. Today is about getting ready for Sunday’s launch. Here’s a suggestion I use. Have a note pad available where you can scribble a thought you’d like to mention in a letter. Sometimes I want to recommend a book or a movie to a friend. Or, I’ll want to remember to answer a question that was asked. Stuff like that, so you will have that thought handy when you sit down to write.
READY…. SET….I’ll check back in a few days.
xx, Carol
