The Case for Bringing Back the Old-Fashioned Letter

The other day, I opened a forgotten drawer and found a box of old letters—birthday cards from my mom, a note from a childhood friend, even an inspirational, Banff Springs postcard written from my highschool volleyball coach. Holding them in my hands felt like holding pieces of time—tangible, irreplaceable, brimming with sentiment. And it made me wonder: what if we all starting hand writing more letters? What would happen?

Somewhere along the way, we traded ink and paper for texts and emails, choosing convenience over connection. We tell ourselves digital communication is just as good—it’s faster, easier, more efficient. But efficiency has a cost. In gaining speed, we’ve lost the intimacy of a handwritten note, the slow magic of putting pen to paper for someone else.

There’s something uniquely powerful about a letter. Writing one forces you to slow down, be present with your thoughts, and carefully choose your words. Unlike a quick text, a letter isn’t dashed off in the middle of a busy day. It takes time—and in that time, something shifts. You think about the person you’re writing to, imagine their face as they read your words. You fold the paper, seal the envelope, and send it out into the world, trusting that it will find its way into their hands. Trusting that the world will deliver.

And then, there’s the joy of receiving one. The moment you spot your name written in familiar handwriting, your heart lifts just a little. Someone took the time to sit down, to write, to send something meant just for you. In a world where most of our mail consists of bills and junk flyers, a letter feels like a rare and personal gift.

I know what you might be thinking: Who has time for this? But maybe the better question is—how can we afford not to? The relationships we cherish most deserve more than rushed, transactional messages. A letter doesn’t have to be long or perfect. It just has to be real.

So here’s my challenge to you: write a letter. Pick someone—a friend you miss, a grandparent who would love to hear from you, a sibling, a mentor, or even someone you see every day but never truly sit down and talk to. Tell them a story, share a memory, or simply say, I’m thinking of you. Then, seal it up, put a stamp on it, and send it out into the world.

Maybe, just maybe, we’ll start something worth bringing back.