The Death of Paper

[BeeNee]

There are still apparently a few dinosaurs on this planet like myself who still believe in the now almost lost art of hand writing letters to be sent off through the mail system; in this case the annual Christmas letters and cards. Funny, we actually label what used to be the fastest and most efficient way of communication for a few centuries, "snail mail." As much as I still believe in this art form, I will be the first to admit that it's time consuming and problematic in a first world problems sort of way.

1. You have to actually know someone's physical address in order to send something to them. Now days, I don't actually need anyone's address unless I intend to actually visit them, and even then, it's not likely I would write it down or preserve it for later in case I needed to mail them something. You just have to remember too many numbers and codes these days for everything, so that's prime brain real estate that one doesn't bother too much with saving addresses in these days. So of course I had to email everyone and ask them to give me their address.

2. You have to go out and buy Christmas cards...

3....and stamps

4. and then you have to write the letters. How many times a day do you actually have to write anything? Zero. You sign for everything electronically, you email everyone about work/at work, you text everyone via cell phone, so it's almost like you have to remember what your handwriting looks like. Then you have to remember how to spell things correctly because there is no auto-correct, and then when you make a mistake, it's quite obvious because you've scratched through it, or you just ball it up and start over rather then just simply being able to hit delete.

5. Then you have to mail the letter.

6. And finally, after all of that effort, the letter could be lost. The person may no longer be at that address. The label could have fallen off. You could have not used enough postage. So for the next couple of weeks, you spend some time just wondering...did they get my letter?

I mean, honestly, what is so great about it anymore? The art of letter writing is expensive, time consuming, and fraught with worry and doubt. On top of that, it is more than likely these days, at least via snail mail, to be a one way correspondence because the person on the other end is no longer obligated by societal norms to write you back in the same manner or efficiency you wrote them...no, they just email you, if that, and say, hey thanks, got your letter and you think, did you also get the blood, sweat, and tears that went into that?

So why do I do it? I do it because I think we all still need something that's real these days. We need something we can physically open and hold on to and experience. It's the same reason I wrap all my presents as opposed to shoving them in a pre-designed box or in a gift bag. The person receiving these things knows effort and some care was put into that thing. They can hold it, and still be surprised by what's inside. A letter is the same way. It's usually almost completely unexpected these days, seemingly arriving from nowhere from a time that doesn't exist in the 21st century anymore. I write letters to people who do in fact appreciate them and do write back in the same manner. It's wonderful to still be able to say we experienced this process together, and that this letter channeled from one end of the country to the next and right to your doorstop signed with love, or wishes for a new year, or hard copy pictures of ones family and friends. I keep it alive because I somehow believe there is still a bit of magic and nostalgia there that needs to be preserved as long as possible before we completely fall into the spider trap of the internet's web.

[Anonymous]

Say it isn't so!!! Snail mail is so lovely!