Long or Short Letters ?

by Rosalind Horne
(northern Spain)

I always preferred long letters; the longer the better.

A few years ago a girl started writing to me - just a page at a time. I found these letters very difficult to answer, How do you answer a letter that simply thanks you for yours & comments on the weather & the fact she has just had a cup of coffee and a biscuit? However, something made me keep writing back. Some sort of instinct - I really don't know.

However after awhile I learned that this gal was severely disabled & write her letters with an appliance held in her mouth. I learned that my long letters opened up a world she normally wasn't privy too. I kept writing.

So yes, it is often annoying to receive those one pagers and there are those that can't be bothered to write longer. However before we disregard those penpals, I think we should just take a moment to ponder on why they just write one pagers before we make any hasty decisions we could regret.


NOTE: Great contribution, Rosalind! That gal was probably so thrilled to get your letter in her mailbox! Paying it forward.. good for you!