Signed, Sealed, Delivered- I'm Yours

Take a moment to think of all the things that make you feel good. I mean, really good. The fuzzy, heart-swelling kind of good. A good that seems to warm you from the inside out, forcing the corners of your mouth to curl upward and the slightest bit of moisture to accumulate in the inside-corners of your eye sockets. What evokes that good feeling from you?

I'm sure some of you thought of hugs, or maybe walking out of an interview knowing you nailed it, or finding a $10 bill in the back pocket of an old pair of jeans. But I think most will agree with me when I say that few things have the capability to evoke that good feeling more than receiving an old-fashioned, hand-written letter courtesy of the USPS.

All of those feelings I described in the first paragraph of this entry are just a fraction of what I feel when I peer into my mailbox and see a non-business sized envelope addressed to me, my name scribbled in pen or pencil in such a way that tellingly reflects the personality of the sender.

With the ease of communication provided by modern technology, the personal, intimate nature of correspondence has become shallow and diluted. Some might argue that E-mail, Facebook wallposts, and text messages perform the same function as a letter, but in a faster, 44 cent-cheaper manner. This is outrageously erroneous. There is no comparison between the effort and thought one puts into the composition of a letter and hammering out something on a keyboard in 2 seconds and thoughtlessly pushing "send," while simultaneously checking Facebook, the weekend's NFL scores, tomorrow's weather forecast, and the balance in your bank account. The simple, time-honored act of sitting down with a pen in hand and a pad of paper on the desk, wholly devoting your attention to crafting a thoughtful correspondence to one particular person is unparalleled by any technological impostor of interpersonal communication.

I currently have 3 penpals with whom I regularly correspond, and often send random letters to others when compelled. The dying, classic tradition of letter-writing brightens my world when I am on the receiving end and (I hope) the equal effect is felt by those to whom I send them.

I implore you, nay- challenge you to in the next few days sit down and write to someone you don't talk to very often (but would like to), or someone you've lost touch with over the years. I can guarantee it will make their day, and you never know what will come of it. I promise you it will be among the best 44 cents you've ever spent.

Be the reason for someone's warm, fuzzy, heart-swelling good feeling. Write a letter. If for no other reason, your hand will appreciate a different form of exercise than the peck-peck-pecking away on a keyboard.