So much concern is shown today about students not being able to read or write, that even New Zealand Post is taking the wero by saying that we don’t need household post or delivery because there’s not enough mail coming through. My challenge to the readers this morning is to pick up a pen or pencil and start writing letters. The following reasons are: When you research people’s biographies and read their letters and memoirs that have been handwritten, you can tell whether they have been sad, excited or have an enquiring mind.
With computers, everything is so staid - there is no feeling to it. Recently I met a man who had spent many years in prison. When we talked about the possibility of NZ Post closing down, he pointed out that part of his rehabilitation was receiving letters.
One person only received one letter every so often and just before he passed away in prison, he would pull out a letter every morning and read it. When he passed on, his family found the letters in a plastic bag, well read from going through his morning ritual. Someone I knew who was a postal lady, often spoke about elderly people waiting at mail boxes for letters from family and grandchildren.
Recently I told my youngest grandchild not to bother emailing, but to write a note and pop it in the mail once a month. I have the pleasure of seeing their improvement in their handwriting and storytelling. So what do we do to keep our mail delivery ongoing to our doors? It lies in our hands to start writi.
