A Lost Art

"Good bye my little Anna" - a letter from my grandfather to my grandmother

I am the typical victim of too many Brontë and Austen novels with my unrealistic expectations of men and my longing to walk across a heather-strewn English moor. Though I realize that times have changed since the publication of these books, (let's face it, women don't sit about in parlors powdering their noses and men don't rock cravats like this anymore) there are still those traditions, such as letter writing, that I wish had never died. Some of my favorite scenes in books are the parts where the girl waits with bated breath at the arrival of an important letter. If you feel impatient about waiting for someone to respond to a text, then these girls must have had the patience of a saint!

Though it sounds silly, there really is something exciting about waiting to receive something in the mail. I think that's what makes it so special. Letters are tangible, texts aren't. The above letter from my grandpa to my grandma was something she cherished and saved for future generations to appreciate. He also wrote the note below to me that I didn't discover until after his death. It was in a journal that my parents saved from when I was in kindergarten. I think he must have written it when he came to my school for Grandparent's Day. Precious, no?

For me letter writing is also a creative outlet. I love finding cool stationary and using sealing wax. You can buy them at craft stores in the wedding invitation section or online but I like to buy sealing wax and seals when I go to the Renaissance festival in my area each year.

Speaking of creativity, check out these amazing handmade cards my Godmother sends me!

With all this being said, do I really think letter writing will ever come back? No. But let me conclude with a little advice for guys: write to her. Not a text, tweet, or facebook message...a letter. Be sure to use proper grammar (trust me, subject-verb agreement is sexy. If she doesn't care about good grammar then you should seriously re-evaluate your relationship with her. I'm mean, c'mon, you're better than that). Don't you dare use acronyms, emoticons, or slang. You do not need to be freaking Shakespeare (iambic pentameter is optional). Be as verbose or as terse as you please. I don't care what type of girl she is. If you write her a letter or note, she will swoon. This is as much a universal truth as the idea "that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife!"