Postcards

This post inspired by Sarah’s.

I love receiving things in the post. Not bills, of course not bills, but letters, cards, postcards.

What a shame very few people seem to send these any more.

I also like writing and sending letters, cards and postcards, of course, but it always feels like there must be some element of reciprocity in the whole transaction. That is, if I am the only one who does all the writing and sending, it feels unrewarding and I’m just not inclined to keep doing it.

This trip I posted a mere five postcards, to people who usually send me handwritten things, too. It’s a bit sad that the number of correspondents I have has dwindled so much. I guess it’s a bit much to expect most people to enjoy the whole process of selecting a postcard, thinking about what to fit in the small space, and then enjoying the physical process of handwriting it, addressing it, stamping it.

And then it takes so darn long for the card to actually arrive, who cares to wait for the post in these days of email, DMs, snapchat and mobile phones?

But, but… if we stop teaching children how to handwrite, letters, cards and postcards will disappear. I’m still torn over this – is it a good thing if we no longer teach children how to handwrite?

I agree that kids need keyboard skills, but I can’t help but feel like something important is being lost if handwriting is no longer taught as an essential skill.

Maybe it’s just me.