Signed, Sealed, Delivered
An excerpt from Dear Josephine by Caroline George
I’ve always found the study of the “flow state” fascinating. Admittedly, this interest is somewhat self-serving; the writer in me will always seek out ways to expand my own creative capacity. Yet as much as individual contributions matter, creative outlets are also a powerful connective force. Our creations can bind us together. Too often, I forget that truth. Yet by indulging recently in some letter writing to loved ones, I rediscovered the link between creativity and connection - and my flow.
As much as I love writing letters, I struggle to begin them. With four kids, a busy schedule, and other writing projects weighing on my mental load, I rarely feel I can make the time to thoughtfully take pen to paper. I decided a few weeks ago to take that time anyway.
Almost instantly, I found myself relaxing into the process of focusing my energy on one person. I spend my days outlining, researching, and creating stories, so I exercise my writing muscle frequently. But a letter is a shiny, time-stamped sliver of conversation, an ongoing exchange brimming with inside jokes and shared memories and sweet updates.
At its best, a good letter is a prism, threaded with flashing colors.
When I eventually addressed the envelope and applied the stamp, I found myself calmer, contented, and connected. I felt the familiar, time-has-fallen-away feeling of flow. Naturally, I milked the feeling for all it was worth. After mailing the letter, I immediately pivoted to a writing project with renewed energy. In the back of my mind, I kept returning to one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Maya Angelou: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
Studies have shown many therapeutic benefits to writing letters. Writing about our problems to a confidante can lessen the stress we associate with them, while also offering fresh perspectives and a solution-oriented framework for overcoming them. In addition, writing letters serves as a counterpoint to our overstimulated culture; as we are overwhelmed with information daily, choosing to communicate in an intentional, quieter way can be a balm to our nervous systems. Exchanging letters can be healing for everyone involved. Recipients appreciate the added effort required, while those writing letters enjoy the dual benefits of boosting creativity and connection.
But to really realize the advantages of drafting a letter, we should consider writing it by hand.
Earlier this week, I attended Meet the Teacher nights at my children’s school. I was impressed and grateful (in our digital age of endless screens) that each teacher stressed the importance of handwriting. These teachers’ instincts to preserve writing time is backed up by science. Last year, a study in Frontiers in Psychology revealed that writing by hand stimulates connectivity across different regions in the brain. Handwriting ties together both our motor and sensory systems, making it easier to commit information to memory.
Yet most significantly, the contents of a letter transcend our memories. A letter can become a treasured keepsake with time. We have no idea how our words matter to those who receive them. Sometimes, they even live outlive us.
I recently discovered a sweet, short letter from my late grandmother. She’d written to me a few months before the birth of my first son, expressing her excitement because we’d just purchased a bookcase for his nursery. (Clearly, we have the same bookish genes.) She wrote letters like this to her children and grandchildren all the time, and I’m certain I’m not the only one of us who has saved them all. Her words. Her handwriting. Her stationary. Her doodles and drawings. The slight pressure of her penmanship - every aspect of her letters matters to me now.
Ultimately, writing letters isn’t only about exercising our brain but about accessing our empathy. My grandmother is still taking care of me with her words now because she took the time then to write them. It’s no wonder that our brains light up when we open our hearts this way.
Earlier this week, we celebrated World Letter Writing Day. Here’s hoping that this note from me to you encourages you to write your own. Let’s make checking mailboxes joyful again, shall we?
