When my Nana passed away my mom found all the cards and letters I sent to her when I was in college and the years after when I lived a few hours away. I was never super far during those times and called and came home often, but I guess I always wanted Nana to know in multiple ways the important space she held in my life. Even after we moved back home I would stop by and leave notes and some handpicked flowers or some cookies when I knew she was out shopping with my mom. That she kept the notes and that I got to know she did is a gift that roots me in the love I always felt from being her granddaughter.
As a subgenre it's hard to beat postcards! I once spent a summer transcribing old ones at Yellowstone. Just a scrawled line or two on most. No time on a postcard to be precious. Yet plenty of time to be outlandish. They're the punk song of letter writing.
I love writing (and receiving!) letters so much, it’s maybe my favorite thing. And I saw that popup gallery letter make the rounds on IG last year and love it. I’m so ecstatic for the Midnight Moon stamps to come out (they also announced SpongeBob square pants one but that didn’t thrill me nearly as much!).
My grandmother was my faithful pen pal my whole life until she passed, and when I left home my dad became my pen pal until he passed. Their stacks of letters are deeply precious to me. They were both much more consistent in writing to me than I to them, but now I find myself carrying their torch, writing cards and letters to my partner and daughters, often unreciprocated right now but still somehow continuing a conversation that spans generations. I’ve found that while I get something different from being the writer rather than the recipient, both roles feel reciprocal, life-giving, life-affirming…thanks for sharing this meditation on the power of letters!
I went back to writing letters a couple of years ago. So much fun. I enjoy choosing the card or paper to the person I'll be writing to. I even put stickers and washitapes on the envelope 🙈
This would be enough, just to know about Goodnight Moon stamps. But it is so much more. Thank you especially for the recommendations at the end. All so good.
Anna there's that wonderful serendipitous "thing" of a topic not being known about, or not paid attention to for a time, or finding some new idea not previously considered, or a book you found which suddenly "everyone" is reading and speaking about. And so it is with letters. I have several friends with whom I have recently re connected with about the idea of letter writing and exchanging letters ... and here, now, you are doing the same! I have a collection of letters from 35 years of writing letters back and forth to my closest friend ( both ways of the letters) and I know they have value from a historical point of view ... just have to find a place for them ... and dont think its the paper recycle! I am still sending remaining collection of Women of Wisdom cards around the world, Thanks again for those. Be well.
Thanks again Anna, I really enjoyed reading your post :) I also love receiving letters (and writing them). Your letter to us gave me a little spark, I don't know to do what yet, but it's there and it's all that matters, right? :)
I'm struck by the similarities of the books on "How to Write Letters" to the Substack posts on "How to Write on Substack" or whatever the flavor of the day is. We are constantly looking for experts on how to tell us how to do the things. I think it's just human nature. I've certainly read my fair share of all the types.
As a young child I always dreamed to be a writer of books. But, I’m a letter writer. 5 decades in all so far, and I won’t stop. But a year ago I discovered how much more I love writing them on Anna Brones beautiful art cards. Thank you Anna, and for all your inspiration.
I have never heard of the Griffin and Sabine books. When I'm intrigued about a book I've never heard of I pop over to my local library app and look it up. The first G and S book is now on its way to the holds shelf with my name on it!
I do not, but thank you. I’ll look into it. Your daily cards in December were such inspiration not only to write but to sketch! Looking forward to checking out your suggestion!
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet is a book that never leaves my nightstand, in part for passages like this:
"…I would like to beg you dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."
My Mama, who passed away about a year ago, was an inveterate card-writer, the queen of the well chosen and beautifully written card for any occasion. As each of our birthdays have passed this last year, we have missed the card, written in her beautiful penmanship, that would always arrive at the right time. I am endeavoring to carry on her legacy by writing at least once a month to each of my grandchildren. Mama left behind an old shoebox full of unused cards. As I pull from them and write simple words of love and little stories from my days to my grandchildren, I feel a tangible flow, as if I am a conduit of my Mama's deep love, across the years and generations. Thank you for the encouragement to keep writing!
When my Nana passed away my mom found all the cards and letters I sent to her when I was in college and the years after when I lived a few hours away. I was never super far during those times and called and came home often, but I guess I always wanted Nana to know in multiple ways the important space she held in my life. Even after we moved back home I would stop by and leave notes and some handpicked flowers or some cookies when I knew she was out shopping with my mom. That she kept the notes and that I got to know she did is a gift that roots me in the love I always felt from being her granddaughter.
How beautiful, thank you for sharing ❤️
As a subgenre it's hard to beat postcards! I once spent a summer transcribing old ones at Yellowstone. Just a scrawled line or two on most. No time on a postcard to be precious. Yet plenty of time to be outlandish. They're the punk song of letter writing.
Yes!! ‘Punk song of letter writing’ is perfect
I love writing (and receiving!) letters so much, it’s maybe my favorite thing. And I saw that popup gallery letter make the rounds on IG last year and love it. I’m so ecstatic for the Midnight Moon stamps to come out (they also announced SpongeBob square pants one but that didn’t thrill me nearly as much!).
No I cannot say I was excited about the SpongeBob ones either 😂
Such a great piece, Anna! Did it get me any closer to writing a letter? Nope! But painting? Yup! DO!
Here's a (virtual!) love letter to you, Anna, to this post about one of my most beloved habits and passions and for the reminder to "just DO." 💌💚✏️
My grandmother was my faithful pen pal my whole life until she passed, and when I left home my dad became my pen pal until he passed. Their stacks of letters are deeply precious to me. They were both much more consistent in writing to me than I to them, but now I find myself carrying their torch, writing cards and letters to my partner and daughters, often unreciprocated right now but still somehow continuing a conversation that spans generations. I’ve found that while I get something different from being the writer rather than the recipient, both roles feel reciprocal, life-giving, life-affirming…thanks for sharing this meditation on the power of letters!
I went back to writing letters a couple of years ago. So much fun. I enjoy choosing the card or paper to the person I'll be writing to. I even put stickers and washitapes on the envelope 🙈
I also came across the pictures of the starling murmurations. They were amazing, it moved me so much. Nature is so beautiful
So good right??
I would love to read a version of this but for newsletters:)
You mean analog newsletters??
This would be enough, just to know about Goodnight Moon stamps. But it is so much more. Thank you especially for the recommendations at the end. All so good.
Anna there's that wonderful serendipitous "thing" of a topic not being known about, or not paid attention to for a time, or finding some new idea not previously considered, or a book you found which suddenly "everyone" is reading and speaking about. And so it is with letters. I have several friends with whom I have recently re connected with about the idea of letter writing and exchanging letters ... and here, now, you are doing the same! I have a collection of letters from 35 years of writing letters back and forth to my closest friend ( both ways of the letters) and I know they have value from a historical point of view ... just have to find a place for them ... and dont think its the paper recycle! I am still sending remaining collection of Women of Wisdom cards around the world, Thanks again for those. Be well.
Thanks again Anna, I really enjoyed reading your post :) I also love receiving letters (and writing them). Your letter to us gave me a little spark, I don't know to do what yet, but it's there and it's all that matters, right? :)
I'm struck by the similarities of the books on "How to Write Letters" to the Substack posts on "How to Write on Substack" or whatever the flavor of the day is. We are constantly looking for experts on how to tell us how to do the things. I think it's just human nature. I've certainly read my fair share of all the types.
As a young child I always dreamed to be a writer of books. But, I’m a letter writer. 5 decades in all so far, and I won’t stop. But a year ago I discovered how much more I love writing them on Anna Brones beautiful art cards. Thank you Anna, and for all your inspiration.
Love this! Do you know about the Griffin and Sabine books? Might be some nice inspiration for letter/book writing :)
OH! Haven't thought about those for years! A wonderful undertaking.
Griffin and Sabine books are my entire inspiration for being still. I think of those books regularly with fervor.
I think we need a whole Griffin and Sabine feature!
I have never heard of the Griffin and Sabine books. When I'm intrigued about a book I've never heard of I pop over to my local library app and look it up. The first G and S book is now on its way to the holds shelf with my name on it!
Excellent news!
I do not, but thank you. I’ll look into it. Your daily cards in December were such inspiration not only to write but to sketch! Looking forward to checking out your suggestion!
Oh get excited :)
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet is a book that never leaves my nightstand, in part for passages like this:
"…I would like to beg you dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."
My Mama, who passed away about a year ago, was an inveterate card-writer, the queen of the well chosen and beautifully written card for any occasion. As each of our birthdays have passed this last year, we have missed the card, written in her beautiful penmanship, that would always arrive at the right time. I am endeavoring to carry on her legacy by writing at least once a month to each of my grandchildren. Mama left behind an old shoebox full of unused cards. As I pull from them and write simple words of love and little stories from my days to my grandchildren, I feel a tangible flow, as if I am a conduit of my Mama's deep love, across the years and generations. Thank you for the encouragement to keep writing!