For those of you who are new to this blog and have never heard of A Month of Letters Challenge, where have you been?
Just kidding. Sort of.
A Month of Letters is a challenge to write a letter each day throughout the month of February. It’s not Send an Email a day or a text a day or anything in electronic form a day. It’s write a letter a day. As in physically picking up a pen and putting words on paper.
This is the third year I’ve been a participate. In 2014, I found out about the challenge about a week and a half left in February so I participated as much as I could in that last week and half. I loved it. As a letter writing junkie, who can blame me?
In 2015, I started off okay, but by day five I got sick and then couldn’t keep up and then I got all frustrated with myself so I didn’t finish out the month. Childish, I know, but I’m a perfectionist (of sorts), who can blame me? 😉
So this month, I was better prepared. I prepped my badges, for motivation. I made a Correspondence Log, for organization. And I made sure I stocked stationery and a good working pen in my bag for when I have down time, I have no excuses not to write a letter.
So, where am I halfway through the program?
Well, if we’re counting a letter a day, then out of the 15 days I missed five of them and it’s weird because they were on the weekend. Both Saturdays, both Sundays, and yesterday–the President’s Day holiday. The first weekend I had some medical tests done and just didn’t feel up to writing. The next weekend my family is preparing for a food booth we’ll be participating in this weekend so it was a bit exhausting. And yesterday, I spent the day with family celebrating at my cousin’s baby shower. So … while I didn’t write, I did spend the time experiencing life.
And while I missed writing day-wise, I sent out more than one letter/postcard on most of the ten days so correspondence-wise I’ve sent 9 postcards and 6 letters for a total of 15 pieces of handwritten correspondence.
I’d say that balances things out.
What I love most about this challenge is that I am not alone when it comes to handwritten correspondence. I have met many interesting pen pals participating in this challenge and they enjoy writing letters just as much as I do. It is fun and exciting when you come across others who share your passion.
The second thing I love the most about this challenge is the art of letter writing. There is something about tangible correspondence. There is something in the air when you pick up a pen and put it to paper and draft a letter to a friend overseas. Whether it’s because you’re forced to slow your thoughts, whether it’s because you’re actively engaged in writing the letter more than just tapping a few keys, whether its the fact that you get to choose the color of the ink or the print of the stationery or the stamp that gets posted to the letter, there is no denying the magic in the experience.
I am currently reading the book To the Letter: A Celebration of the Lost Art of Letter Writing by Simon Garfield and he touches on this very subject. I am four chapters in and I have agreed with everything he’s said so far about letter writing. If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, I suggest you skim through this book.
So, with 14 more days to go, I’m hoping to write a letter each one of those days :).
Cheers to Letter Writing![AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B00BPDR158″]