Writing Letters
What is to be learned from writing a letter? How does this now ancient ritual enrich the heart and mind? I just posted a letter to a friend and came away from the experience with a sense of discovery. The connection through paper, pen and envelope, seems to be elevated by the very materials required to bring the task to completion. I chose the paper consciously believing its texture and quality must somehow suit the sensibilities of the recipient. The ink, for me, needed to be bold, yet lean toward the fine side. I am present in that choice. It is what I want to send off to my friend; putting a fine point on my desire to be precise and clear. The strong ink color feels like the passion I muster to take this journey. It is not for the feint of heart, this business of putting your soul on full display. Of course we can choose to write fluffy, gossipy missives, but that’s not for me. The letter is the confession box for secular creatures; the love making of trusted companions, the deep therapy of those conversations that matter long after their last words were spoken. They are, indeed, the opportunity to bare one’s soul and put it in writing. One must view that surprising revelation and stand accountable for its intention, content and energy.
Of all the ways we find to communicate to one another, the letter presses us to honesty. We have said our piece and can reread it before posting it. There is a sense of responsibility to it that we must stand behind. And selecting just the right words becomes a momentary meditation. What essence do I want the words to carry? Is there evidence of a certain sloppiness of thought? Have I really said what I set out to express? Writing requires a kind of discipline; a habit of thinking you might not be aware of until the words are sitting there, staring up at you. And, unlike the current shorthand of texting, we are asked by writing to have a complete and cogent idea in advance or the sentence will disappoint. It is a stern master, this writing process, not to be taken lightly. And that, perhaps, is the point. Careless, speedy, abbreviated expression encourages a careless attitude and disrespect for the receiver.
Words create worlds. They construct the lens through which we see reality each time we attach a word to something we observe. Quantum scientists have expressed this in the phrase, “Observer created reality.” If any part of that is true, can we ever be content with the unexamined words we send out into our world knowing that they are personal acts of creation?
Writing letters as an act of creation; think about it. Maybe that’s why we avoid letting too many words escape us; why LOL is preferred to free, honest self-expression. I choose to take my chances with the reality I create with my words.
