My sisters and I rarely fought. We are, apparently, one of the few examples of peaceful sibling dynamics from the 90’s. However, we did watch with eagle eyes for the arrival of the mail and race to retrieve it, most days. Picture a cute and slightly wonky mailbox at the end of the driveway- one our mom repainted, stenciled, and planted roses beneath. Our bare feet would scurry over the rocks, wind tangled in hair- hands quick to grab the mail, check for letters, and pocket the bubblegum left by the mail carrier. Gravel, roses, and bubblegum- I can smell it now.
Now, we have a very dignified “LETTERS” slot on our front door, but the mail is retrieved just as heartily. In fact, just last week, I begged my youngest to stop shouting enthusiastic greetings to our mail carrier through said mail opening.
There’s something hopeful about sending and receiving mail! Despite bills, junk mail, and the occasional jury duty summons, the possibility of snail mail, with recognizable handwriting and heart-song that has traveled just for you, keeps us coming back to the door or running out to the mailbox.
Practicing old-fashioned correspondence is one of my favorite rhythms, though my consistency has wavered through the years. Between then undiagnosed neurodivergence and five children in less than ten years, it was difficult to finish any multi-step process beyond basic survival. Thus, I’ve written gobs of thank you cards that were never mailed. Yet letter writing and snail mail are such high return, powerful activities that I fight for them- however imperfectly. Instating slow moments to write a letter or quick note brings the nervous system a small and gentle pocket of safety and rest in a sometimes frantic and nonstop day. You get a chance to create, dream, and reset before returning to the magic mundane. While it can be hurried, I definitely romanticize my life through letter writing to my friends, sisters, and family. There will be stickers, flourishes, and poetry. Quickly scribbled drawings in the margins, and misspellings. I will try to voice the words that are meaningful and simmer just under the surface- ones I often couldn’t spit out quickly enough, in person, the last time we met.
Letter writing has been an organic way for all of my kids to practice handwriting and strengthen connection with family. While there have been epic battles waged in our home over a handwriting curriculum, everyone loves writing a letter or postcard to a cousin or grandparent. As a child, getting mail and postcards from my grandparents was always a favorite, and our kids are lucky enough to receive postcards and mail from their grandmas as well. I still get a thrill when I see my Aunt Linda’s handwriting on my birthday card in the post, and I will always treasure the cards and handwriting samples from my grandparents. It’s almost like hearing their voices or watching their eyes crinkle with a smile, when I reread and retrace their written words.
Throughout history, letters have been crucial to life and communication, and our ability to learn and be inspired by famous letters is perhaps just as romantic to my anthropological heart as penning my own. Letters between artists, writers, siblings, lovers, politicians, saints, and enemies connect us to the past, teach valuable lessons, and remind us of our shared humanity. I dare you to read letters of the past!
In this season, I’m leaning into more practical, community and resistance letter writing, as well. Sometimes it feels too small an act, but much like prayer, perhaps some or most of the good done is to refocus my own mind and heart towards empathy, justice, and right action.
Not sure how to bring an appreciation or practice of letter writing into your life? Let me offer a few tips:
Make it fun-
There are so many lovely stationary options, cards, stickers, and stamps to embellish your correspondence! You can add drawings, write in a silly voice, add bookmarks or photographs to your letters, even seal them with wax. Having a penpal or friend writing back is probably the best fun.
Make it local-
We have so many phenomenal independent shops ready to fill your writing desk with cards, stationery, postcards, and accessories.
Make it lit-
Literature that is! Talk about what you are reading in your letters, include quotes and inquire about their current reads. You could also try a book that overlaps with letter writing in some way. On my desk right now are Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers , Envelope Poems of Emily Dickinson, and Letters to my Weird Sisters by Joanne Limburg. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans are next on my list.
Make it community-
Y’all, there’s an official Letter Writing Club that meets once a month at Old Bakery Beer Co, in Alton IL, the third Tuesday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. It’s free and they provide stationery, pens, and stamps. It sounds too good to be true, but it’s better. Just grab your supplies and start writing, while chatting with your friends and munching or sipping on some treats care of OBB.
You can also pick up some postcards like these, from Signs of Justice, and write to our elected officials in defense of the underserved and in-crisis members of our community. Sending a note of appreciation to those in our midst who are working to support others by building safety and belonging is also incredibly valuable.
However you start to include letter writing in your life, I hope it will come from a place of excitement and want, not feel like another should. Whether you write one letter this year, or one letter every day, let that correspondence be an offering. Here, here is something tender. Perhaps something true, entertaining, or just mundane- to ponder, memorialize or secret away. To bolster spirits, to pull the string between our tin cans taut across the miles. An invitation, to pause- exist here, only here, for just a moment- in the space created by the scratch of lead or ink onto thick elegant paper, a funky vintage card from the thrift or an adventure sharing post card. Engage in connection, creation and curiosity, for the sake of us all.
Sincerely,
Elise Genta Sprenger
P.S. Universal Letter Writing Week is January 11-17!
P.S.S. What do you remember about getting the mail as a child?
I remember as a kid, an older cousin subscribed to a magazine for me! I loved it and receiving it in the mail each month, New Moon Girls 🌙