Pen to paper

[W]ORDS ON PAPER aren’t rare.

Handwritten words on paper seem to be going the way of the dodo bird, which may be one reason there’s such a big market for books of and about them.

Collections of past correspondence are interesting reads.

They often provide a glimpse of people’s personal lives, windows into the state of the world at the time the letters were written and more.

I have found if a book has some variation of The Collected Letters of [Insert Famous Person’s Name Here] on the cover, it will probably spark my interest.

(I say probably because there’s plenty of people’s letters I’d like to read, but also people who’s letters I’d let gather dust on the bookstore shelf.)

I have several books in the Letters of Note series, and preordered some of the newest titles as a boxed set.

I think it’s a shame people don’t put pen to paper much anymore, myself included.

A person’s handwriting is as unique as the person, and it adds something special a text or typed letter doesn’t have.

I have long been conflicted about the fact most of our communication is on a screen.

It’s amazing to me I can type this post as a “Note” on my phone and send it to the world in seconds.

Most people who see this post would never read it if such a means of communication did not exist.

The other side of the story is if I’d have thought of the idea for this post earlier I’d have written it on paper and made it more personal.

Communication has improved in many ways since letters were in their heyday, but it may have become less personal.

If it has, I guess it’s a product of progress.

It makes me a little sad.

I feel the same sadness when I drive through a town past its prime and I know it’s because an interstate rerouted revenue and left it a shell in the dust.

Interstates are great, but they have a great price, too.

Technology is great, but has it cost us more than money?

Time will tell, I guess.

One casualty of the advancement in communication might be the decline of notes.

The Notes app is well and good, but one day the world may be ran by people who’ve never known what it’s like to risk passing a note in class.

It just doesn’t seem right.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a teenager with a crush these days.

“Text ‘Yes’ or ’No’” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

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This post is a response to Sue’s prompt, which is “paper.”