Dear someone are letters I’ve written to someone, everyone, and no one in particular. Some of them are words written to help me through life struggles. Others are written to share feelings I lack the words to express. I share memories to myself, songs to no one.
Maybe one day I will shuffle the letters into a book and publish it. Or someone may find these and see how much pain I am working through. Even I don’t understand it all I find a strange comfort in writing letters. An art that used to be crafted with pen to paper, in fact i prefer that method. Most of these letters were first written that way. I hope you enjoy them.
Dear someone,
Why don’t we write letters to each other anymore?
In grade school they teach us to start the letter with Dear, followed by a name. The body of the letter carefully crafted. Ending with sincerely or some other farewell saying.
Letters have evolved since with the evolution of technology and laziness of people. A social media message between friends doesn’t need the formality of a printed letter. It’s a quick chat with someone. With the right person, it doesn’t last long enough. With the wrong person, it can last far too long. Whatever happened to the handwritten letters?
I still value these little acts of kindness. In fact, on occasion, I will find myself inspired to write a letter and send it through the postal service. To think of the smiles as the person it’s intended for holds it in their hands. Rips open the carefully sealed envelope and browses through the words. There’s happiness in the brief moment. yet there is sorrow. Written letters can carry love, laughter, memories, pain, and poison.
I have received my fair share of letters. Mostly from family and friends celebrating a special occasion. My grandmother and grandfather used to send me letters quite often. I still have an aunt and uncle that send out cards for special occasions. I read them to my son when we get them.
One letter i remember quite well didn’t come through the mail, but still had the same style. A sealed envelope and a carefully written letter inside. It came from a girl who I changed my life plan for just for the chance to be closer to her. In case we could get to know each other better, and if I was lucky she would want to go out with me. No one tells you that those kind of letters are going to hurt. You see it in movies all the time that someone receives a dear john letter and the person is hurt but ultimately better off. The teachers in grade school don’t teach us the feelings that letters like that bring. They don’t even begin to teach us the feelings of joy either. it’s something we must experience ourselves. Each time feels different than the one before it.
I’ve never received a love letter in the mail though. Not from anyone that wasn’t family. It’s interesting, married for quite a few years, and I remember sending letters to her. Even when we were dating. But it seemed to mean nothing to her. Oh well, the intention was not to receive anything. It was simply to bring joy to someone who I cared about and thought cared for me back. I think I may have gotten one or two letters from her. Time from then is fragmented. I think I’d remember if I received a true love letter though. Cleaning out our stuff, I found two letters from our anniversary a few years back. One was written on, a very thought out caring words. Telling how the heart speaks and what it wants to say. The other, a thought out phrase yes. But it means less when it’s just printed on and even writing someone's name seems to be a chore.
I get that people are busy. I get that it’s cheaper to send an email than snail mail. But wouldn’t it be nice to receive one every once in a while. To know that someone cared about you enough to take the time to hand write a letter out and spend around a dollar for a stamp to send it.
My grandparents were never technologically inclined. I’d spend summers with them a lot over the years. They always taught me when I was younger the value of a hand-written letter. Especially to say thank you for gifts received, or kindness shared. Somewhere along the way laziness won out from me continuing that value. I know I should do it, but I just don’t. I don’t really know why either. It only takes a few minutes to write a simple letter. to be grateful to someone. yet it’s easier for me to hand write a letter to someone I care a great deal about, than it is for me to write a thank you note or something as simple as I’m thinking about you.
I know I’m not alone in this. Affection is in the details, and if the details are written down words of affection because the heart wants to speak, but the mouth is unable to for whatever reason. A handwritten note could mean the world. Especially when stumbling across them at the right time can be healing and helpful.
How many letters could save lives? If someone shows value towards another would they begin to see value in themselves more?
Why don’t we write letters anymore?
Thank you for reading this. I hope it reaches you and helps you. I’ve always said I’d love to use the pain and torment of my life to help others. if the words I write help you through what you are going through than my life has purpose. If it hit you right in the feelings and brought up memories long forgotten. I hope you see that those memories are always a part of you.