For all the Pen-Pals

The forces of capitalism are at work! As of May 14, 2007, the new first-class postage stamp will cost all letter-writers and bill-payers 41¢. [Postal Rates Set to Rise]

FORTY-ONE CENTS. If you write fifty letters, that adds up to $20.05. Forget about huge wedding invitations. No wonder so many people are using the Internet and Evite to inform people of their matrimonial ceremonies, baby showers, bar and bat mitzvahs! Recently, I was informed that my sister's friend from high school had a webpage for her impending marriage. So much for calligraphers, they can pretty much kiss their jobs goodbye.

Anyway, I'm a big letter writer. People scoff, shake their heads in disbelief, mock me -- what have you -- but I truly believe in the sanctity of the written word! WRITTEN word. As in, hand written. Doesn't anyone feel a sense of nostalgia when happening upon old letters from friends? APPARENTLY NOT ANYMORE, because no one WRITES letters!

I have two regular pen-pals myself. A local one, and an international friend (Paris, in case you were curious). It's been almost a year and a half since we started writing, and it's quite interesting to read the series of letters. A few of my Mormon friends went abroad (South Korea, Mexico, Peru) and I exchanged letters with them during that time.

There's something so satisfying in receiving a letter other than advertisements and bills in the mail. You can open up a letter and the words on paper remain unchanged even after months or years of being hidden away. The only thing different about the letter seems to be how you've changed in the time elapsed.

There's even something satisfying about the letter-writing process itself. Sealing an envelope happens to be one of the smaller things in life that can make me very content.

I chalk it all up to our so-called "modern" existence, the dependence on the Internet, cell phones -- technology -- for communication. I'm no hypocrite; I'm writing all of this on an ONLINE BLOG (oh, the irony!) but I think it's important to take a step back sometimes and realize how much things have changed. Our parents never relied on AIM or text messaging to make plans with friends, ask someone on a date, etc.

And also, I know this sounds cheesy and perhaps I'm a closet romantic, but think of the soldiers in WWI, WWII and Vietnam. Think of how letters from family member or lovers, or the act of writing a letter to them, may have helped the soldiers through all the trauma they were enduring.

Is the Internet a blessing or a crutch? I think a little of both. You don't have to agree with me. But I think you should acknowledge all the shortcomings of techno-communication, or stop to appreciate tangible communication (letters, face-to-face conversation -- you'd be surprised at how many people I encounter who lack conversational skills) once in a while. That's all I'm asking.