When was the last time you had a chance to write a letter for someone? Or when was the last time you left a welcoming sticky note to the next person who will open the fridge door? Have you ever treated someone more special than before? If not, this is your best time to hand someone a handwritten letter.

Sadly, with the advent of the internet, we have forgotten how to write a letter. Handwritten communication becomes derailed because we value timeliness and secrecy. But I must admit that I love receiving a note knowing there’s a personal touch with the sender that made me read it multiple times over and keep it in the most sacred place. Like most of us, we want to feel valued and special too! So here are the reasons why you should write handwritten letters now because nothing beats the electronic and automated ones.

1. It shows a personal touch

There’s something about handwritten letters that make it more distinct and special–and it’s your handwriting. Thousands of people are already using the same fonts in their emails and text messages, but your strokes are different and unique like fingerprints. The way you wave each letter shows how bold and playful you are that enables the recipient to see more of your side. Whether you are using a glittered or a plain black pen –remember it always has something to say about your relationship with each other. Plus, how much more if you spray some perfumes and leave a kiss mark at the bottom. It’s a wonderful way to demonstrate how you value that person.

2. Reflects Effort

Time is important and taking extra time and effort in writing a letter for someone is the most valuable thing a person receives. We are loaded with works from left to right, and we choose to whom we give the greater time. Allotting some time to write a letter is what makes it more meaningful than the content of the letter, knowing the sender went extra time to produce things like that. Besides, taking time to send a thoughtful note can strengthen your relationship and marriage, or even with business partners.

3. Feels Surprised

How I wish I could go back in time when there were no junk bills, due dates, tax receipts, and repetitive ad mails because it makes me feel so obligated. And it was not surprising anymore given the fact that we have become accustomed to receiving the same notes and bills on the 30th. But what if one of these days we write or receive someone’s handwritten letter saying, ‘Let’s have a coffee date @3pm @ the coffee shop as we used to.’ Wow! Simple yet we feel extra special. Gestures like this left us with a smiley face.

4. Reveals Artistic Side

As grownups, many of us don’t use our time getting involved in writing activities because we are reliant on the digital world even knowing writing can help us revive our artistic side. Handwritten letters help us to be more creative and functional knowing we can go back from the first time we first learn alphabets and are excited to compose the word ‘I love you’ or ‘Thank you’ in our best readable cursives.

5. Creates Confidence

Well, aside from not seeing our faces, it can boost our confidence to say whatever we intended to say comprehensively on paper. We become more showy and affectionate through the wealth of words because we know we cannot disappoint the person seeing directly his or her reaction towards our intention. The study says, writing a handwritten letter can also help us to boost our self-esteem and express our feelings more than we do it in person.

6. Easy to Preserve

Handwritten documents or letters are way too easy to preserve than verbal communication. Its longevity will surely last for more than a decade because we value everything from that letter and we’ll make sure that no one else’s could touch it. Though, oftentimes we misplace it or may accidentally put it in the trash.

7. Can make both sides happier

In my case, even how long or sweet a message is sent to me through e-mails or posts, it doesn’t have the same impact when I receive the physical once. Giving handwritten letters is an ultimate win-win. Both the sender and the recipient feel good because both of you are on to something. I remember the first time I wrote a thank you note to my colleague, and after she received the letter I saw the undying spark in her eyes, and on my part, I feel satisfied. By doing this, we allow ourselves to receive greater chances to appreciate more of the little acts of letter-giving more than anything expensive.

8. It helps you to organize your thoughts

When writing an email, it is just so easy for someone to play on his keyboard, typing and deleting, typing and deleting many times, and hit send if they think it’s good. However, in writing letters we become more conscious of the things we might write, so we have to allot more time to compose our message before transferring it into an actual one. This process helps us to focus on the things we want to say to let the receiver know it is exclusively just for them. Writing letters are more deliberate while emails and or texts are reactionary because we write a letter to give and not to expect the other person to respond. We write to say something; not to write because there’s something we need to know.

9. Shows etiquette

Most people undervalue handwritten letters but there’s one thing we need to remember ‘etiquette’. Most people see handwritten letters as fine letters with stamps and stickers but most of the time I recognize the person prided with impeccable manners to put together premium efforts and a fine sense of decorum. Not all people will take advantage of handwritten letters because it was a bit stuffy. Less they don’t know that the person who gives handwritten letters has governed a polite behavior in the society with respect and of good breeding.

10. It keeps the memory alive

Just like visiting a history museum where we can see letters and notes of revolutions and treaties –the kind of letters preserved because it has something to deal with what we are today. With so many countless possessions we have but these fragile pieces of paper have been protected because words are known to be powerful and worth reading overtime. Same as personal handwritten letters, that no matter how easy it decays, the memory of the letter will always be kept alive.