When did you last write a letter? There was a very interesting article in the local weekend newspaper about the value of writing letters. In fact, the article suggested other writing tasks which would help the brain.

Why Write?

I remember a time when I was a busy letter writer.  We had a number of pen friends.  I guess young people would not understand that term.  My pen friends were in the UK, the Philipines and in Australia.  I don’t know when the letters stopped but around my mid teens I guess, when other things occupied me.  I do regret that I never met them.

Newspaper Headlines

The article suggests some writing tasks which would help stimulate the brain.   And it talks about HAND WRITING.  Yes, pen and paper.  When you read the article, you will understand more.

Using Pen and Paper helps improve your memory, says the article by Dilvin Yasa.  She says that while we use computers which dominate our lives, there are health benefits in using pen and paper.

I wrote a letter yesterday – and did intend to do it by hand, but it is to a disabled lady, and I thought the computer might be best.  It should make it easier to read.  I hope so. (I did the envelope by hand!)

Letter writing is a great art, and I know that these days one is quite thrilled to receive a letter (handwritten or typed) and I believe that handwriting is best.  Here is a good article about writing.

WHO COULD YOU WRITE TO?

I like using fountain pens and have quite a collection that have not had much of a work out recently.  Again I am going to change that.

My parents and I were frequent letter writers.  They have both passed on now.  I have most of the letters they hand wrote to me over many years.  My father eventually bought a typewriter and taught himself to use it, so some of his letters are typed, with handwritten comments on the page.

What if I could write one letter a week?  Maybe to grandchildren? What if it encouraged them to write to you? You would be helping them with memory and other brain training skills.