The lost art of writing a letter

In the age of texting, e-mails and cell phones, the old fashioned and intimate art of letter writing has reached the end of an era.

Only a few decades ago the most convenient and affordable way to keep in touch with friends and family members was by penning a letter. As a generation that grew up without computers, the romance and excitement of receiving a handwritten personal letter in the mail is still cherished.

A very special 50th anniversary reunion is taking place this year on the Peninsula between two members of that generation. I, Marilyn Creed of Ocean Park, and Mary De Laet of Glasgow, Scotland will be celebrating our special friendship spanning 50 years of correspondence.

We became pen pals back in 1957 when our Grade 4 teachers from Vancouver and Glasgow thought exchanging letters would be a great opportunity for students to develop letter writing skills and friendships with peers from another country. We had graduated from the use of pencil and eraser to pen and ink and the exercise of writing a letter without ink blots was a definite challenge. Who would have thought a letter-writing lesson would have become the seed for a lifelong friendship across the Atlantic?

By Marilyn Creed
Peace Arch News
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Photo: Nick Greenizan