I was looking through some old family photos and came across a box of letters from my grandmother.
My Grandma was very special to me, and these letters hold precious memories.
One by one, I pulled each letter out of its envelope and read her handwritten words.
Some letters were penned on stationery featuring a cute kitten or pretty flower, others on plain white notepad paper — the kind you’d find near the telephone, back when everyone had a landline.
As a little girl, I loved receiving my Grandma’s letters. They made me feel loved, and I couldn’t wait to find out what she wanted to tell me.
Now, as an adult, they are an even sweeter reminder of our special bond.
Letters are artifacts
My Grandma’s letters are a comforting reflection of the past — our shared history.
She would tell me about her cat’s visit to the vet or who stopped by for a visit the week before. If she had received a recent letter from me, she would thank me and tell me how happy she was to get it. She’d also answer any questions I’d asked in that letter.
Her letters started with “Dearest Jana.” They always closed with, “I love you,” or “Love always.”
Our letters were a decades-long conversation.
Continuing a special tradition
All of this reflection led me to think about my granddaughter, who just celebrated her first birthday. I wonder how her generation will capture these types of conversations. Will she be looking over text messages and digital bits of flotsam and jetsam as an adult one day?
As her Nana, I’m determined to share this lost art with her. She may be too young to write, but I can promise that she and I will be writing letters as soon as she can hold a crayon.
I hope that many years from now, my granddaughter will look back on the letters I’ll write her and that she’ll feel the same kind of love I’ve felt reading the letters I saved from my Grandma.
