Tuesday 14 April 2015

‘A letter is not a system of debt.’

Hawwa pointed me in the direction of The Letters Page.  It is well worth taking a look.  I loved this quote from the Editor -

And this editor has noticed, in
a recent revival of personal correspondence-
by-post, how easily people feel the burden
of letter writing. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t replied
sooner,’ our letters all seem to begin, in the
tone of a muttering student handing in a late
assignment. Dear readers and fellow letter-
writers, don’t be so burdened! Write, or don’t
write, but enjoy it when you do. It’s nice to
reply to a letter, but there’s no need to turn
it into a chore; after all, if there’s a message
that can’t wait, you can always send an email.
(Remember email?) One of our editorial
board members, the poet and publisher
Éireann Lorsung, puts it very well: ‘A letter,’
she tweeted recently, ‘is not a system of debt.’

6 comments:

  1. So true. We do seem to apologise a lot (even in emails) for not replying sooner. I do too. Sometimes, I suspect, simply because that IS what flies first through our minds when we do sit down to gather our scattered thoughts and try to summarize them on paper (or screen).

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  2. The same quotation attracted my attention. I thought I have published it, but I've discovered it's scheduled to appear in the blog later. The Letters Page is a great reading!

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  3. Excellent point CJ. I have been writing more letters over the last 9 months but not replying to emails and letters is probably the major cause of guilt in my life these days. I do know that that makes me very fortunate (Thankful Thursday post there perhaps) but it doesn't make me feel any less stressed.

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  4. I love this quotation too! I also recently learned of The Letters Page at the Mail Adventures blog--I am a newer subscriber there and found your blog via hers!

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  5. Goodness! Someone took the mail monkey off my back!Thank you. I apologize too often for being late with some responses, yet turn right around and bend over backwards into a full hand stand in an attempt to reassure others that they should not feel like they owe me a letter. Perhaps the need apologize stems from a misguided belief that an apology, coupled with an explanation is proper letter writing etiquette? Remember the old two week rule? I will consciously try not to apologize for not writing sooner.

    Sure am glad I decided stop by today. Thanks.

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  6. "Heaven, I'm in Heaven. . ."
    for Hawwa - via "Scriptor's Postcard" blog, because the Letters Page came to me via the blog, John - a huge thank you to you both for the mention of the site "The Letters Page." wow! McGregor

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