A World Long Lost and Forgotten…

My father is in the IAF, so he is often away from home, sometimes for months together. It used to be difficult for me as a kid and sometimes when I’d miss him real bad, I’d cry to myself quietly, making sure no one else ever saw me. But I got used to it as I grew up. So, for my 9th birthday, my dad wasn’t with us and a day or two before that, we received a letter from him. I was so excited, I snatched it from my mom’s hands and tore the envelope open. There was a small note in there especially for me, along with a letter for my mom and a beautiful red colored greeting card!

I don’t remember the card or its contents very well, but I do remember the joy I felt as I went jumping around the house , showing it to my brother. That letter somehow made me feel more connected to my dad, as if he were with me on my birthday!

That is the effect of letters! Computers, mobile phones, the internet, etc are all great ways to bring people closer, but to think that any of these will ever replace the true worth of letters, is just ridiculous. I mean, to receive a piece of paper, actually written on by a person, filled with his/her emotions is a different feeling altogether. And the current state of letters makes me sad, though I’m aware that it’s not an effective way of communication- it’s time consuming for one. But hey, everything has it’s pros and cons, right? And none could take the place of another.

My mother made me write letters as a child, especially on Rakshabandhan (a festival wherein girls tie beautifully decorated threads, called Rakhi, on their brother’s hand, as a symbol of the brother’s promise to always protect and look after his sister). They weren’t actual full-proof letters, but just a few lines somewhere in the middle of the one she (my mom) wrote to her brothers. Even today, she insists I write at least a few lines along with the Rakhis I send to my cousins. And for this, I’ll always remain thankful to her, for she introduced me to the beautiful world of letters, which otherwise goes unnoticed in today’s fast-forward world.

One night I was chatting with my best friend, Nathel, on the same issue. She lives in Bangalore (Karnataka, India) and I have moved to Bareilly (UP, India) for college. And she was like,

“For so long I wanted to write a letter to someone but I used to think, whom should I write to? Everyone I know lives here in Bangalore. How it never occurred to me to write to you!”

And so, on 3rd July 2015, I received my first letter -I mean, the first personal one addressed to me! It was short and simple but it was special, nevertheless.

Think about it:

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone?

Never, maybe? Or perhaps, long back, huh? If yes, then take a pen and write one right now! It’ll definitely be a lovely surprise for someone and that will make it worth your time! 🙂