Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Once A Month Challenge

We celebrated Rhiannon's 4th birthday this weekend with a house full of kids.  Well, only four kids total, but when you're used to only one screaming toddler, four seems like a lot.

We ate pizza, birthday cake, cheezy poofs.  They ran around the house like crazed little monsters normal 4 year old kids that had consumed too much butter cream icing.

And we opened presents (too many, I might add).  And this morning, instead of just emailing or Facebooking our "Thank You's", we'll be writing out actual Thank You cards.  You know, by writing the words in pen, with our hands (well, mine at least), then putting the cards into an envelope, slapping a stamp on it and walking it up to the mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up.

I recently wrote an actual handwritten letter to a dear friend of mine.  It took about a million times longer to write out than it would have taken me to email or even type on the computer & print out but I felt like being "fancy" and didn't mind the extra time and hand-cramping that followed.  The happiness my friend expressed at receiving such an "outdated" mode of communication was amazing.  And then I thought about how much I liked getting mail.  

Real mail, like in the real mailbox:

I have nothing against email and social networks for communicating.  I use Facebook all the time to talk with my family and friends.  Email is just as good.  I even Skype once in a while so Grandpa can see Rhiannon.

But there's just something about getting a real piece of mail.  Instead of just sighing (or sobbing) when opening your mailbox, fully expecting nothing but a handful of Dish TV ads or medical and utility bills, there's something special in there.  Something not begging you to spend money, something not demanding payment for services rendered.  Something not for the "current resident" or "phone customer", but something for you; you the person.  The living, breathing, feeling soul that you are.   Something wonderful, even if it's just a piece of paper with a few sentences scribbled on it.  Something from someone who cares.

So, what's the Challenge, you ask?

I challenge you all to write one letter a month.  Like with pen and paper and an envelope and a stamp.  To anybody.  Even if it's just a "Howdy" scribbled on a note card.  Since it's already the end of February, I'll start my letter writing challenge on March 1st.  Anybody with me?  I'll try and remember to nag remind you all during the year in case we forget.

Now go practice your handwriting!

10 comments:

  1. Carolyn,
    Great idea!

    I'm with you!!! In fact, I'm dropping a note in the mail to my cousin this very morning :-)

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  2. I LOVE THIS CHALLENGE! I am going to go fire up my gel pens (in six colors...fancy...) and send out a missive or five. Great, great idea! I can't tell you how much I love getting a real, live letter in the mailbox. Wait - I did, didn't I? :)

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  3. I'm in! This is a great idea and I already have several people I have been meaning to write to so I won't wait any longer... it is such a great feeling to get a real letter!

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  4. I love receiving letters. My hubby and I were talking last night about the lack of manners many people have- never writing a simple thank you notes, etc. Even something short can mean a lot.

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  5. Awww, now you gone and put up a challenge, one that my relatives would love. Do you know it's hard for me to write by hand anymore? Yeah, that's how much I rely on computers for email, IM, sharing desktops, etc. I will try. My aunt and mother will love you.

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  6. Oh, dang. I really should do this. Can I follow through? It's so much faster to type a letter than to write it out by long hand. (Whine, whine.) But I, too, know what a wonderful feeling it is to get a hand-written note (or letter even!) in the mail box. Will you help me do it? Heckle me, harass me, threaten me? (Yeah, I know you'll do that with no trouble.) Okay. I'm in.

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  7. This is an excellent challenge, so I'm in too. I really need to write my dad.

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  8. My youngest daughter is currently learning about addressing envelopes, writing thank you notes, personal and business letters and post cards. This is a great challenge for myself and my 4 girls.

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  9. I have a hard enough time answering emails let alone writing a real letter! :(

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  10. I do have two people I write letters to by hand. I used to write to my aunt but she died in 2003 and I really missed writing to her. So one cousin of mine, her daughter, in fact, does not go on the computer, so that is the only way to correspond with her. One of my nieces has moved to Ohio and even though she has email, she has to go to the library to go online. So I just hand write to her. She always sends letters and cards that way herself and so does her mother, my sister-in-law. Everyone loves to see a handwritten letter or card in their mailbox! No matter how big of a computer geek they are!!

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