With today’s technology, communicating with others is fast, simple, and convenient. We text, instant message, email, Facebook and more to communicate with our friends and loved ones. We use emojis to express our emotions rather than long, descriptive words. Have we lost the art of the handwritten letter in the sea of technology and convenience? Why not revisit the idea of pen pals and bring back the art of letter writing?
Time
Yes, I will admit, letter writing does take time. You have to write rather than type. You have to use words instead of pictures or abbreviations, but that is the beauty of it. Your personality is seen through your handwriting and the words you choose to express your feelings. When it comes to writing letters, you should take your time.
Commitment
Yep, another “have to” when it comes to pen pal letter writing. Again, the beauty of it is in the dedication you put into the relationship you have developed through writing to someone special time and time again. It shows you care because you are committed to staying in contact with this person no matter what.
Exposure and intimacy
When it comes to texting or instant messaging, you can often hide behind your words, but when it comes to writing to a pen pal, you expose your inner self through the flow of your pen. You open your heart and share your deepest thoughts and feelings with this person you’ve chosen to connect with.
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How to get started
First of all, it is true that pen pals are people you have never met before, but I also feel you can connect with people you do know by becoming pen pals and writing consistently to each other. If you would rather write to people you have never met, here are some places to check out.
Free websites
Finding a pen pal can also be done through free websites like these, but be careful of spammers or fakes when searching on a free site:
- Send someone in the military a letter at Operation Shoebox.
- Maarten’s Snail Mail is another free site that has over 3,000 addresses from 115 different countries.
- If you know or are learning a foreign language and want to communicate with someone from that language, head over to My Language Exchange to search for your pen pal.
- Global Pen Friends gives you a safe place to search for the right pen pal.
Paid websites
You can find pen pals through paid websites like the following:
- Become a member at International Pen Friends and receive a list of names while your name is sent out to others. Membership is for 12 months.
- Letter Writers Alliance is a membership program for serious letter writers. The membership is for a lifetime, and once you become a member, you can join the pen pal program.
Letter writing is not a thing of the past. It’s an art form at its finest because you put your heart and soul into your writing, and it connects you to others around the world. If you like to write with your hands instead of your fingers, consider writing to a pen pal.