It is easy to overlook the true value of a good old-fashioned handwritten letter. Writing out your thoughts by hand in this digital age shows you took the time to sit down, carefully plan what you were going to say, and put the effort into creating something physical rather than just sending an email. One little girl found out just how powerful letter writing can be when she composed a thoughtful message to her father’s employer, asking them to give her dad a day off from work.
The letter, composed with blue crayon on loose-leaf paper read:
Dear Google worker,
Can you please make sure when daddy goes to work, he gets one day off. Like he can get a day off on Wednesday. Because daddy only gets a day off on Saturday.
From, Katie
P.S. It is Daddy’s BIRTHDAY
P.P.S. It is summer, you know
It may not have been composed on personalized stationery, but it sure is adorable. Not only that, but it was also extremely effective. The child’s dad didn’t just get one day off work, he got a whole week. Google’s own senior design manager Daniel Shiplacoff responded with a letter of his own, informing the girl that her father would receive the entire first week of June off.
Getting in the habit of letter writing
In many ways, letter writing is a bit of a lost art. With the speed at which we can send emails to loved ones and co-workers, very few people take the time to write out their thoughts in pen and ink. However, as this story shows, physical letters are much more endearing than anything that gets sent through the Web. Here are some tips for getting back in the habit of letter writing:
- Invest in quality personal stationery: High quality materials make a handwritten letter look polished. In addition, nice stationery and a first-rate pen make the experience of letter writing more enjoyable as well.
- Schedule a time to write: Block out a chunk of time in your day to write a letter. Don’t let your busy schedule stop you. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for shorter pieces and anywhere up to 45 minutes for longer in-depth letters.
- Encourage a two-way relationship: In the body of your letter, ask that the recipient of your letter respond in kind. Nothing is a better incentive to write a letter than having one to respond to.