you got mail

Rowie posted about a letter writer in Vietnam, a man whose power over words have brought together many people. Reading through the article, I realized what a great service he gives to his people... to find and form the words that others can't speak.

Words wield power. It can bridge hearts or destroy it.
And whoever said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" doesn't know what he is talking about. Never has any cliche been this false. Words cut deeper and heal longer, perhaps never.

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When was the last time you received a snail mail? Have you ever thought about that? With the age of technology, bridging barriers is only a send button away. This is something I am thankful for, especially being isolated from many of my dearest, oldest (in length of time, not age. hehe!) and most comfortable friends.

But I remember those days when I was a Jesuit Volunteer, especially when I was assigned in Calapan, letters would pour in every week from other volunteers all over the country. Tatit, won the letter cycle queen award, and very much deserved it especially with those cute rainbow drawings and written on Grade 1 pad. Hehehe! But I think I deserve to be a runner up, having completed the cycle four times, minus birthdays.

Nothing takes away the loneliness compared to opening a sealed envelope with your name on it. Of flipping open a folded piece of paper containing lovely words of pangangamusta, of stories of new experiences - different from yours but can fully understand, of adventures and misadventures, of pain, of joy, of longing. Of reading someone's personal history.

Clicking open an email can never ever duplicate that. There are no coffee or tear stains on an email. No smudged writing from using sign pen. No change in handwriting after two pages of writing. None of those beautiful things that convey the soul of the writer.

As for writing it, there was the gift of calloused and stained fingers. The ache of arms of holding the pen tight. The pile of crumpled paper in the trash bin. The search for the perfect stationery, often the cheap and enteratining Korean and Chinese Engrish ones and scented at that.

Those were the days.

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Would you like to receive a snail mail? Post your name and email on the comments box, and maybe we can arrange something for you. ;p (Credits to toni for having done this activity some time ago.)