Reading Response: A. R. Gurney's Love Letters

“Andy: I’m writing because when I telephoned, you just hung up on me. One thing about letters: you can’t hang up on them.” A. R. Gurney, Love Letters pg. 27

Dear Technologically Influenced Society,

I cannot remember the last time I received a letter, perhaps, never. In our technological world today, letters are snail’s mail, which takes way too much time to write when opening a chat box or sending a simple text message reaches the person instantly.

But what’s wrong with snails? And what’s wrong with taking things a step slow? Why is everything so fast-paced, so dependent on technology, and so distant? Why are we so impatient? On average, we have a hundred years to live. That’s 36,525 days, 876,581 hours, and 3,155,692,000 seconds of life, and writing. Is the time not enough?

Just 50 years ago, there were no cell phones, or widespread computers, or online messages. Information that we could quickly google today took hours to research in the past. This wasn’t because people at that time were poor, or just disliked technology, but simply because the products didn’t exist for everyone to use.

Rather, people communicated with each other through—gasp—letters, and personal visits. What? But was that even possible? Yes, it was.

Have we reached the age where we do not recognize how to write letters anymore? Or are we just too lazy and tired? Is the art of writing lost forever?

Not only did letters discontinue, but also cards, which were gradually replaced with e-cards, and then short emails, and now text messages, all done with a click of a button. Somehow, getting a text message for a greeting doesn’t feel as exciting as getting a letter or card in the mailbox. Sending a text message was more like saying “I don’t want to come over. Can we just talk here?” or “I don’t feel like spending the time to buy a card, write something in it, address the envelope, and wait for a response from you.”

There was a special feeling when a letter was placed on your hand: the slight cracking sound as you sliced open the envelope, the smudged, coffee-stained pages that slid out, and the beautiful stokes and raised bumps outlined on those pages. The style and language, the pauses, the smell, the longing and happiness or sadness, and the secrets shared were only with you.

Andy said, “You can’t hang up on letters.” Ever after many years, when you grow old and wrinkly, that letter, unlike a text message or call that loses meaning over time and eventually forgotten, will still be with you.

You could always revisit it again and again, as many times as you like. When you write a letter, you’re giving your reader something to remember you by, after you’re long gone from this world and life.

So, let’s continue to keep this letter-writing tradition alive.

Sincerely,
A Distressed Writer