An Art You’ve Forgotten

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail? Not just another bill, wedding announcement, or credit card application?

An actual, hand-written letter.

If you’re like me, probably a good long while.

When was the last time you had to write something in cursive? Remember all the fancy, sweeping letters they taught way back in elementary school? It no longer gets much attention in the education system these days because it has faded away in light of new technology.

Email, word processing, text messaging, and digital everything has made the art of writing things out practically obsolete. It’s faster to just shoot someone a text or favorite a webpage. It’s easier to just type up notes as you listen to a lecture than write them out. It’s faster to just copy and paste Bible verses into a document and click print than it is to write them out by hand.

Easier.

Faster.

These practices are convenient. I know I have engaged in all of them, but what have we lost at the expense of this convenience? Do you remember a time when you would actually receive a letter or postcard from someone in the mail? Wasn’t it exciting? How you couldn’t wait to rip it open and read the words written for your eyes alone?

There’s something personal about seeing a person’s handwriting on a page, be it in cursive or in print. Knowing they had taken a pen to that very paper, their thoughts displayed in their own handwriting…there’s something real and intimate about it.

Not only is there beauty in receiving a hand-written note, but there’s also beauty in the process of writing one yourself. It doesn’t even need to be for someone else necessarily. Taking time to write out your own prayers or thoughts in a journal or notebook can be so cathartic. It can help you process your thoughts and feelings. Seeing your thoughts written out on paper can help make sense of them or help you see something you couldn’t before.

Or, taking time to write out God’s promises in Scripture on a piece of paper helps you to own it. I don’t know what it is about writing things out that helps you remember more, but it does! Perhaps it is because it takes more time, especially if you write it out in cursive. There’s a certain beauty in seeing a verse written out in cursive. To make it legible, you need to take your time, patiently and carefully crafting each stroke – forcing you to see each letter, each word more closely than you might if you’re just reading it or marking the reference.

To honor this lost art and to bring some of it back I want to challenge you to try at least one of the following ways to “write it out” this week:

1. Get a journal or a notebook and write out your prayers that day to the Father
2. Get a journal or notebook and write out what you’re going through that day – what you may be experiencing, feeling, thinking, doubting, struggling with, etc.
3. The next time a Scripture really sticks out to you, grab a notecard and write it out and post it in a place you’ll see it each day (and maybe write out a second copy and hand it to someone who might need the same encouragement)
4. Have a friend, family member, or significant other on your mind lately? Instead of sending some encouragement or thoughts via text, quick email, or phone call, try writing them a letter instead.

If you want to take these challenges a step further, try taking the time to write in cursive.

I think you’ll be amazed at how much more you will process, retain, and encourage. There’s thoughtfulness and care in hand-written prayers, ideas, Scripture, and letters.

Which one will you try this week? Let me know how it goes!

(I did a combo of 1 and 2 and also gave 4 a shot!)