Letters Haven't Gone Out of Style

One of things I love about parenting is helping my children learn through school. This week my oldest has project where she has to write a letter to someone from another state to learn more about it. This project got me thinking about a habit that is no longer popular - letter writing.

With technology, we have become lazy in sending a text or e-mail, and we no longer pick up a phone or write a letter, place a stamp on it and send it off to a distant place. This is unfortunate because as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said: "Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them." As Valentine's Day approaches, I have a challenge for you.

• First, write by hand. In an age when many of us spend our days at the computer, it feels archaic to manually write letters. Yet, we reading handwritten words. Years from now, your handwriting will make your letter all the sweeter.
• Be specific. We all love praise, the more specific the better. General praise such as: "you're a great person" is nice, but it's even better to be specific like "You're a great person because you are always there for me." Share how your life has been enriched since the person came into your life.
• Convey a memory. Some of our sweetest memories may be ones that a person may have forgotten.
• Finally, presentation. Use personalized or unique stationary that reflect your style.

I look forward to sending out "love notes" this month, and I hope that you do the same. :)