Handwritten Letters
The letter had a wax seal. A WAX SEAL. How amazing is that? It felt like I was opening a dispatch from a king of lore. What magic or quest might be requested on the pages within. I nearly tore the letter open, but then that felt wrong; like destroying some beautiful piece of art. I searched my junk drawer for my grandmother’s antique letter opener, but it was nowhere to be found, so I reached for a knife and carefully cut the letter open at the crease.
Inside, were four pages of handwritten script in a dull blue/black ink. The words, like the lines on the face, told so much more about the person who wrote them. I poured over each line, stopping occasionally to decide which marks were an “s” and which were an “r.” It was like unraveling a mystery in each word.
The paper was firm and rustled with a deepness that was uncommon to any book I’ve ever held. While the message wasn’t a writ or royal request, it felt no less special to hold. The person who had written it was in the paper and ink. This letter was an outpouring of their soul. It was a connection point to a human being I had never met, halfway across the world. It was a treasure.
Handwriting
In our mobile and “connected” world, we may have lost touch with the true power of writing. Typed words can be powerful by themselves, but they lack the spiritual significance of handwritten tomes. When we take a pen in our hand and pour ink onto the pages through actual physical interaction, we loose more of ourselves onto the page.
The very act of writing by hand slows the mind. It forces the writer to make the words one-at-a-time rather than pound them out in quick succession. There is a cost to choosing the wrong word, so the writer must make decisions more carefully. When a page is completed, the words contained are captured in the unique artistic beauty of an individual artist.
”What I didn’t realize was how many doors the act of writing unlocks, as if my Dad’s old fountain pen wasn’t really a pen at all, but some strange variety of skeleton key.” ― Stephen King
There is a difference between a page of hand-written text and a print out from a word processor. A trained eye can tell who wrote one, while the other might have been created by anyone.
Return
After reading through the letter twice, I returned to the junk drawer and dug through it again. Somewhere in the mire, lay a fountain pen I had purchased for no good reason. My fingers found it. It was crusted with ink, so I took it to the kitchen to clean it.
I had a sample of ink that was sent, as a gift, from an online stationery supplier. It was a small bottle that I kept on my desk because I liked the color of the deep green elixir within. I loaded the pen and made a mess of my shirt in the process, but I was undeterred.
The scratch of the pen across the paper was cathartic. It felt more like creation than work. When I type away, endlessly, I feel like a machine. This was different. I took my time. I chose my words carefully. In the end, I had four beautiful pages of green marks that held the magic of my being. I placed them in an envelope and put them in the mail.
Letters
A letter takes ten days to go from New Jersey to Portugal. They also take ten days to return. The twenty days between can feel like a lifetime, but the elation of a handwritten reply cannot be understated.
Reading a reply, to a conversation you had so long ago has become unnatural. Remembering the letter you wrote seems like a chore, but for some reason, I never have a problem remembering what I have written by hand. I cannot say the same for words that I have typed.
“Handwriting is a spiritual designing, even though it appears by means of a material instrument.” ― Euclid
The pen, in hand, has a direct physical connection to the heart. And the heart seems to be able to work through a pen differently than through a keyboard. And writing letters can connect you to people in a way that Tinder never will.
Tools
Fountain pens can be daunting for the uninitiated. There is no reason that they should be. A solid and fine writing instrument is easy to procure for a relatively small investment. The Lamy Al-Star, with a “fine” nib, is an excellent pen for a beginner. While it comes with a blue ink cartridge, but I suggest adding a refill converter — which allows you to use bottled ink — and an ink whose color lights your imagination. Here is the one I like.
Please note that the links above are affiliate links. If you purchase from them, it will cost you nothing extra, but I make a small commission that helps fund my fountain pen addiction.
Paper is an even larger choice than a pen. Every brand and type will act differently depending on the pen and ink you choose as well as your particular writing style, pressure, and speed. Rather than give you specifics, I suggest that you try as many different types of paper as possible and see what gives you the best results. Choose your paper like a painter chooses a surface.
Who to Write to
When I sent my first letter to a pen pal, it was only because I had a chance encounter online. A small thread of comments blossomed into a group that all wanted pen pals. The moderator acted quickly and put together a list. We chose from the list and began corresponding.
You may be wondering who to write to and who might respond. I will. Here’s my offer. Sign up to be my pen pal at www.wanderdoctrine.com/penpals. No strings attached. If I get inundated — I hope I do — I’ll do my best to connect some of you to another pen pal. With your permission of course.
Writing letters will open locked door in your mind and spirit. I think the adventure waiting for you might be profound. I hope to write to you soon.
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