Why handwrite?

In my previous post I talked about handwriting letters and places/people where you can send them. Perhaps you thought, "Perch Librarian, we have email, text, and social media, so why bother with pen and paper, things that are going the way of the dinosaurs?" 

Believe it or not, handwriting does have advantages over typing. Allow me to elucidate:

• Personal  A handwritten letter is more personal than something typed in a printout or on a screen. My most cherished gifts from my husband are his birthday/anniversary/Valentine's Day cards to me in which he handwrites a note.
• Relaxing  No electronic device is involved. No distractions or interruptions. It's just you, the paper, the pen, and your thoughts.
• Self-Reflection  It's so easy to bang out something on a keyboard, and often on social media we see people giving knee-jerk reactions (I'm sure you know what I mean). Since handwriting takes longer, we need to think before we write.
• Exercising Your Brain  Of course, brainwork is involved in typing, but scientists have proven that your brain works differently and makes more connections when you form each alphabetical character by hand versus tapping a key, which requires the same movement regardless of the letter. Additionally, handwriting aids in learning, spelling correctly, and memory recall.
• Mental Health  Handwriting has a more positive effect on a person's mental health. It improves your mood when you take the time to handwrite to someone, thinking about that person while also getting thoughts out of your mind and down on paper.
• Tangible  A handwritten letter is a small part of someone's personality, something that person touched and created that will last through the ages. Imagine not having all those letters written by ordinary people during the Civil War or other historical periods; imagine not having cards handwritten by your grandparents or your parents.

When I look at my mother's handwriting in the birthday cards she's given me over the years, I can see changes in her reflected in the pen strokes--the smooth, smaller, and steady lines when she was younger, the larger characters that have lost their steadiness with arthritis as she ages. Even when I look at things I've handwritten myself twenty (!) years ago, I can decipher a person who's not quite the same as the person I am today. These are things that typing can't replicate. What will people in the future make of all the digital notes we type today?

Wishing you cherished moments of reading and letter writing from the perch.

The Power of the Pen

When was the last time you've handwritten a letter? You know, the "old-fashioned" way with pen and paper? Years? Since you were a kid? Never? Similarly, it may have been ages since you received a handwritten letter through "snail mail" as well.

I've just finished reading Kate Thompson's The Wartime Book Club (available on Libby), which I had the most difficult time to put down. In a nutshell, it's a historical fiction book about the Nazi Occupation of Jersey, part of the Channel Islands belonging to the UK. One of the characters is a postal worker who, in an act of defiance, steals letters sent to German soldiers stationed on the island. She opens the letters to find they're from family and sweethearts, very human and rather personal. In the additional material after the end of the book, the author addresses the lost art of letter writing and different outlets in the UK that allow people to write and receive handwritten letters.

That got me thinking: What are some writing or pen pal clubs out there? Venues that give an opportunity to practice handwriting or (something that is rarely taught these days) handwriting in cursive? Lo and behold, there are a number of such clubs that you can join:

• Global Penfriends  Based in Australia, this free website claims it's safe, secure, and family friendly. All profiles are reviewed by a human and it's set up so children can't be contacted by adults. Write in your own language or in another language to practice your foreign language skills.
• Kids for Peace  A website that connects kids with other kids as pen pals either inside or outside the US, allowing them to practice their handwriting skills. Furthermore, they will have the chance to share and learn about other parts of the country or the world.
• Love for Our Elders  So many of the elderly living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities feel lonely or isolated. Why not cheer one or a few of them up by writing something to them? You can read their profiles and write about something you have in common.
• A Million Thanks  There are plenty of military men and women--active, reserve, and veterans. Pick up the spirits of one by handwriting a letter of thanks and gratitude that will be delivered either abroad or on the homefront.
• Up Cancer  Encourage someone with cancer by handwriting a note to that person. Inspire another person and yourself at the same time. Send your letters to Up Cancer's address in Georgia, and Up Cancer will distribute your letter to a cancer patient.

There are other websites that can get you started with your letter writing besides the ones mentioned above. Not sure about writing to someone you don't know? How about handwriting a letter to a relative or friend you care about? Imagine that person's surprise and joy of receiving a letter in the mail from you!

Wishing you happy letter writing/reading from the perch.