Write that Letter

At the very beginning of this year I met up with my friend Anne Siekkinen and we talked about New Years' Resolutions. I always have a list of things to try and achieve at the beginning of every year, but Anne and I thought of a new one to add to the list. We decided that this year we would write at least one letter each month to someone significant. I wrote my January letter to someone very special to me. As I put the letter in the envelope, it thought how nice it was to be sending something through the post that had nothing to do with taxes, administrative matters or bills. I have not written February's letter yet, but I have an idea as to where it is going.

I am quite old-fashioned when it comes to letters. What I mean by that is that I find writing letters and cards to people to be really important. We spend so much time these days (me included) communicating by text and email and Facebook, that letter writing has become quite unusual, and I find that really sad.

Texts and emails are of course a very valuable (and quick) way of communicating, but most end up being lost or deleted, whereas you can keep a letter forever.

Somero's New Winter Postcards

This morning I received a letter from a friend who I was a university with, someone I haven't heard from for a while. It was a lovely surprise to get her letter, particularly as it was hand-written. She probably has no idea yet how much it brightened my day. In addition to that, another friend, Heidi, gave me a card she had written this week with a beautiful message on both sides, and which I have carried with me ever since.

In these days of electronic messaging, where we can contact someone on the other side of the world in just a few seconds, we sometimes forget how much an old-fashioned letter or card can mean to the person who receives it.

So, if it's a while since you have received anything other than an advert or a bill through the post, then please let me know. I have a big collection of Somero postcards and would be happy to send one to anyone who passes me their address. I challenge you to send a letter or card to someone this weekend, particularly as Valentines Day (or in Finland Friendship Day) is fast approaching. It will almost certainly mean more to the recipient than you will ever know. Just like mine did this week.