Letter writing is a wonderful tradition that can benefit both writer and receiver. In a matter of years, our world has changed to all-things digital: instant messaging, cell phones, computers and email. The days of sitting down at a writing desk and composing a letter with parchment and quill pen are rapidly fading into history. Considering all of our time-saving amenities, our lives are often run at a frenetic pace. Often, with so much information instantly accessible, our minds are over-run with “information overload.” Many of us struggle to heed an invitation to step back and “unplug” from our modern society.

One way to make the process of letter-writing more inspiring is to literally use parchment and quill to write a letter. Just like the romantic days of old, the process of dipping a pen in ink and hearing the nib scratch across a paper is a way to viscerally connect with centuries of writers who have come before us. Most of them would never have dreamed to live in the fast-paced, technical world of our future.

But even if the 18th century Romantic writing style is not for you, a hand-written letter is a timeless tradition we can all take care to preserve. Setting aside a special place, with a collection of beautiful papers and colorful pens is a way to inspire us to write a thoughtful note. So when the phone stops ringing and the in-box is sorted, a quiet moment spent writing to that someone we care about will help restore some of the lost priorities in our modern-day lives.

There are many in our culture that still enjoys a walk to their mailbox to find they have received a personal letter or card. It is a delight to sift through the junk mail and bills to find a special note card from a loved one or friend “just thinking of us.” Finding that personal note in a haystack of meaningless correspondence lets us know that someone took the time out of their hectic life to let us know “they cared.”