Letters like no other

Shenali BOTEJU

When was the last time you had any postal mail that was not a bill or plain junk? Chances are, unless you have a pen pal or family who sends regular cards and letters to each other, junk mail and utility bills are all you ever get in the post.

With emails and mobile phone texts, most people are more accessible than ever before, so what reason could there be for sitting down with paper and pen and actually handwriting a letter for someone? The excitement and curiosity it provokes when the letter arrives is reason enough.

As the saying goes, 'An sms was just a note over the fence', letter writing was the ideal mode of communication in the good old days. And it still proves to be quite as effective as it was then. It may not be the fastest and it seems a futile attempt to revive the initial dominant position it sustained but it proves to be just as welcoming. It always is a nice thought to know that you are remembered.

Nobody would like to stay forgotten, I am sure. Why is it that we choose to confide in another? Why is it that the initial step to make amends always starts with a letter? It is amazing how people mistake letter writing as a dying art. And yet it still functions through keeping contacts with pen pals. Sure, a quick message on face book would do the trick, yet for some reason people prefer to correspond with their long distant friends via letters. It is almost as if an unspoken rule exists there.

The benefits of having a pen pal can be very rewarding in many ways. Most of us smile in happy anticipation when a personal letter shows up in our mailbox. For a child who has learning disabilities or attention problems, exchanging letters with a pen pal can spark the motivation improve their reading as well as their writing skills.

Back then, with no Internet and international calls being so expensive, letters seemed the best way to keep in touch. Waiting for a reply never seemed like a problem as that was the beauty of letter writing. When we first learn a foreign language, the contact with native speakers will help us to improve on our language skills. What's more, it helps us get to know each individual at a comfortable pace.

It sparks the yearning to find out more about the person behind the name. Pen pals help us to see real life from another perspective. For children, having a pen pal can be a good way of teaching responsibility as well as social awareness. The discipline required to answer letters in a timely manner is something many adults have not mastered.

We all need somebody on whom we could rely on. Someone with whom we can discuss everyday life. Have you ever discovered how similar or different our lives are? With letter writing and pen pals, we end up learning despite all differences, our own hopes, dreams and desires.