The long-lasting joy of hand-written notes

There's something special about writing things by hand. As technology moves forward, we tend to spend more time typing. Communications became just ones and zeros that provide instant responses and full-time access to anyone, anywhere in the world. Here's the catch, you can delete or ignore an email, but you will probably pay attention to a handwritten letter. 

Some call me old school, but I always carry a notebook with me everywhere I go, and my desk is usually flooded with papers, sticky notes and lists, lots of lists. I usually take notes every time I read a new book or when I attend events, and I often leave love notes for Carl scattered all over the house. I feel like writing by hand makes things real. Real tasks. Real thoughts. Real achievements. Real lessons. Real memories. Real feelings. It is not just my preference, it is science! While handwriting might be slower and less convenient, it provides better memory recall and activates the parts of your brain involved in deep thinking. It also makes you engage with your senses and creates emotional connections with the outside world.

Handwriting can bring memories back to life, it can show the passing of time, and it can preserve thoughts for the future in a way that no digital message can do. I remember my dad planning his week on his little paper calendar, and I could recognize his handwriting a thousand miles from home. I treasure all the little notes on the side of my mom's cookbooks with her small tweaks to the recipes. I remember different moments of my life based on how my handwriting has evolved over time. Handwriting is like a footprint, everyone has their own style, and once you know them well, you can recognize who wrote what and when. The relationship between you, the pen and paper can tell a story, some even say certain aspects of your personality might show in your handwriting style. 

I have a memory box full of old letters, friend's farewells, graduation messages, Christmas cards, Birthday wishes, travel postcards, adventure diaries, maps with routes to discover, tickets with notes, napkins with phone numbers, and postcards sent "just because." I open that box every now and then and play the nostalgia card to those good old days… I can't say I do the same for old emails or text messages. I also keep all my journals and notebooks, some of them are here with me now, some others are still back home waiting for me to get them back. The permanence of ink and paper makes things unique, if you add a person's handwriting to the mix, you'll have a message that will survive the passing of time. 

This form of slow communication can have long-lasting effects on your personal life. It's a way to show others that you care and that you won't allow technology to continue pulling you away from those things that make us human. It means someone took the time to find a pretty postcard, thought about what to write, went to the post office and nervously waited 3-7 days for the other person to receive it. Don't you love the feeling of getting something through regular mail that is not advertising, coupons for junk food or discounts for stuff that you'll never buy?

We're seeing old-school practices being brought back to life for a reason. Think about cassettes, vinyl, analog cameras, fixed-gear bikes, typewriters and candles. These things are not coming back out of pure nostalgia; they're coming back out of the need to slow down, fully enjoy the present and create deeper personal connections with the things and people around us. 

I must admit that it haven’t sent many postcards in a while, but I'm hoping to change that right now. I encourage you to do the same as a little "social experiment" and let me know how it makes you feel. You don't need to send 50 postcards, maybe just start with 1 or 2, and wait for some replies. I am aware that it would be challenging to make a living in this era without a screen, but achieving the right balance between real and digital is possible. It is also possible to balance the fast-paced, hyper-productive work routine with bits and pieces of slow-living practices.