saved, re-read, and cherished in a way
that a text or chat message can never
be. Letters are tangible, and there is
something extraordinary about that. Let
me tell you a little story to illustrate my
point. A story about a boy and a girl—the
most popular kind.
They met at a “Back-to-School Party”
just before their freshman year of high
school at the age of fourteen. The two
always admired each other from afar, but
the timing never worked out. She was busy
with academics and her social life, while
he was focusing on sports. Finally, during
senior year of high school their separate
paths came together. In that year, they
fell in love—of course. But college quickly
came, and they were separated by states
and sometimes even countries. This wasn’t
easy on either of them. There were no such
things as cell phones or Facebook to keep
in touch, so, instead they wrote letters. For
five years they hand wrote pages and pages
back and forth. That’s 1,826 days. If that’s
not commitment, I don’t know what it. They
married, had four daughters, and still have
a trunk full of handwritten letters stored
in the attic—proof that they overcame the
struggle of distance. This boy and girl just
happen to be my parents. And if it weren’t
for “snail” mail, I probably wouldn’t be here,
telling you this story. I, for one, am thankful
for the power the handwritten letter can
hold. And we all should be, not just because
of my parents’ sappy love story, but because
writing letters builds character. It builds
The Mariner’s Albatross
relationships on dedication rather than
Oil on Canvas
convenience. It builds trust, and we all could
Jackie Kuntz
Class of 2009
use a little bit of that.
For those of you who have received a letter before, know that indescribable feeling
you get. And if you know that feeling, then you know that you have the capability,
to give someone else that same feeling. If you have not had this privilege, my most
sincere sympathy goes out to you, for there is no way possible that I shall be able
to provide you with the right definition for such a feeling. It would be as hopeless
as attempting to describe a laugh, cry, or the taste of chocolate. So, all I can leave
you with is my encouragement. Write someone. Pick up that pen or pencil and write
someone because “snail mail” isn’t overrated.
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