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Back to Basics: Writing You a Letter

Over a long period of time I’ve struggled to maintain the delicate balance between enjoying the fruits of technological advancement versus the nostalgic practices of the past. Let me break this down into something more digestible.

Since the whole wave of gadgets, tricks and dips, the introduction of new items of technological superiority it appears to seem as if life has been made that much easier, that much sweeter, that much more convenient and as a result we can now connect with each other any place, anytime, any iPhone. However, it’s this availability, this access and fast food way of functioning, that has sparked within me a craving for the old way of living…something that was not so old a good couple of years ago. Long are the days when people would have to write letters into magazine companies by hand or typewriter to get a job interview. Long are the days when we would exchange letters of anguish, love, joy and experience to those in far away or even fairly close places.

And one question remains in my mind throughout: Has the reign of technology ruined the art of real communication forever? Of course there are two sides to this coin and it’s both easily and rightly argued that the crazy rapidness of improvements upon technology which seems to boggle the minds of everyday humans as to how much further things will go and expand in decades to come is so amazing, so boundary defying that we are left in awe… or standing outside of phone shops to the early hours of the morning (not a personal practice, I might add). Yet, it’s so efficient; emails, entire work functioning documents and software such as Microsoft can be provided on a small handheld device called a phone. Even these have gone leaps and bounds in breaking the boundaries; they now have the man-made power to open car doors, provide satellite navigation, internet access from anywhere in the world. Let’s not even delve into social networking sites which basically put you in the rooms of complete strangers or family and friends within the click of a few buttons.

So here the perfect idea was, staring me in the face: I’d start writing letters again! Ingenious? Original? No…Well no, it’s none of those things because this bright spark of mine was simply a regurgitation of very old customs and traditions that were put in place as the only source of communication besides riding bareback on a saddle halfway across a dreary, drizzling English countryside. Of course the tradition is not only exclusive to Britain but this is my location, my home and it felt refreshing to go back into a time when things seemed so much simpler, so much more straight forward and people actually had to maintain the art of patience and articulation, all whilst receiving a thrilling anticipation for what may arrive in the post.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that we will not still meet up in person or talk over the phone, send emails or text…but I think this way of reaching each other is promoting in us a sense of deeper understanding and well , it’s FUN!

Maybe you might decide to give this challenge a go and reconnect with some old friends you haven’t seen in a while or simply get know the friends you have now on a more trusting, deeper level.

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