Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

LETTERS

Paper, Postage, and the Power of Connection

Letters aren’t just paper—they’re presence. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores the fading art of handwritten correspondence, the emotional resonance of mail, and the timeless joy of sending and receiving something real.

You may not remember what these are. Of course, the alphabet is made up of letters but that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about these paper things that get delivered to your door or mailbox at the curb by a person in a uniform. Oh, those things!

The computer has come close to eliminating those paper things that travel by truck and air from a friend or relative to your own mailbox. Computers and text on your smart phone have become the main route of communication with friends and family. I miss the letter. Fortunately, my grandchildren still go to summer camp where computers and smart phones are not allowed so letters abound! I love writing letters. You can do so many things with a sheet of paper. Thanks to the computer I can put pictures on the page and copy silly recipes, like Cricket Bacon Carbonara, a pasta dish with crunch! I can draw diagrams of plans for the garden or ideas for sewing projects when they return from camp.

Letters are still used for some formal purposes. Requests for records tend to come in the mail. We used to file our taxes through the mail but that seems to have gone by the wayside. Letters and cards of sympathy are still appropriate, but birthday greetings seem to come from these online services that do fancy animation and tunes. If your grandchildren still make hand made cards for your birthday then you are truly fortunate.

Most of the things that come in the mail are advertisements for a variety of services and catalogues of all kinds. There are tons of catalogues for clothing and trinkets as well as home décor and there are even catalogues of books and other catalogues.

I have a friend who receives a letter from his 90-year-old Aunt and manages to write back just before the next one arrives a few weeks later. These are treasures. I hope he keeps her letters and passes them along to his children. I remember going through boxes of letters from my mother-in-law to her brother. They were separated in childhood and reconnected as adults. Those letters let them fill in years of history and connect with each other in ways that could not happen without the mail.

Letters are special. Movies about romance will often have a piece where a box of letters comes out of the closet or an old chest to show the devotion of the lovers to each other. These scenes are poignant.

How long has it been since you sat down and wrote someone a letter, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and dropped it in a mailbox? Who do you know who would be delighted to receive such a missile?

Want to explore the emotional power of handwritten letters? Visit Yellow Letters Complete’s guide to the psychology of handwritten letters, BrainWiseMind’s article on what handwritten letters symbolize, and World Letter Writing Day’s 10 reasons handwritten letters are making a comeback.

If you’re reflecting on connection, nostalgia, or emotional expression, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational growth.