Open Writing

What has happened to letter-writing? I mean letters written by hand. I still write letters to friends and relatives who I don’t see very often. I have my word processor and could quickly use it to knock a letter off to someone, but the friendly touch wouldn’t be there.

No matter who I write to, I churn out five or six pages without having to think much. I ramble on about things that happened to me, things I have seen or done, serious things, silly things, unusual things, my family, my garden, my health, anything new I’ve bought, a really good book I have recently read, how I plan to redecorate a room, places of interest I have visited, films I have seen, a special recipe I may have tried. I also enquire how the person I am writing to is keeping -- health-wise -- and how that person’s family is faring. I always end my letters with a childish row of kisses at the end!!

If I am writing only a short letter, I like to write it inside a card with a lovely picture on the front and blank inside. I have a large selection of individually chosen cards for this purpose -- so much nicer to receive than a note scribbled on a blank sheet of paper. I have a super collection of stickers suitable for all occasions, including amusing cartoon stickers, flowers, shining stars, fluffy cats, lucky horseshoes and many others. When the postman delivers a letter from me, the recipient, I hope, will smile at the selection of bits and pieces I stick on the envelope.

Sometimes I will write little rhymes on the envelope for the postman to read, e.g. “Postman, Postman, do your duty. Take this to a real sweet cutie.” Or “Postman, Postman, don’t delay. Take this letter to my dear Fay.” (my granddaughter).

Unfortunately, I don’t receive many letters in reply to mine. I suppose telephone calls are easier, but I DO remember when I used to hear the letterbox rattling in the morning and I saw a personal, handwritten letter lying on the mat from a friend or relative, I used to get a quick buzz of excitement. Nowadays, all I seem to get is a never-ending delivery of bills and junk mail!

When I was at school, we had Handwriting as a school subject, also Spelling. These two subjects, together with English were my favourites, and even now, although my handwriting may be a bit shaky, I pride myself on my correct spelling of most words.

If I see a wrongly spelt word written anywhere, it really offends my eye. I recall that once whilst I was getting changed just before an X-ray at the Infirmary I noticed a sign on the door as follows: “The commity is not responsible for any patient’s possessions left in the cubicle.” (Committee spelt COMMITY.) I drew the attention of someone in a white coat to this very bad spelling of the particular word and was astounded when she said, “Oh, nobody has ever mentioned that before. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, does it, because everyone knows what it means.” To me it DID matter. Maybe I’m too pedantic!