Taking the time to write a letter by hand may sound antiquated in today’s fast-paced world, but the small act could leave a big impression.
Such is the case for technology entrepreneur Lakshmi Pratury.
In a motivational speech recently posted on NPR.org, Pratury reflects affectionately on the dozens of letters her father wrote during the last two years of his life.
“After he died, I realized nobody writes to me anymore. Handwriting is a disappearing art,” Pratury says. “I’m all for email and thinking while typing. But why give up old habits for new?”
She champions both email and handwritten letters, saying the latter works best for messages from the heart.
“There are times when I want to trade all those years when I was too busy to sit with my dad and chat with him and trade all those years for one hug … but that’s when I take out his letters and I read them. The paper that touched his hand is in mine and I feel connected to him.”
Pratury also calls on schools to resume teaching penmanship.