"to write a letter..."

there is an art to writing letters my grandmother
once told me....you must begin with paper that
you love, and a pen that feels perfectly weighted
between your fingers...

the scent of the ink should be neither sweet, nor
acrid, but something clean and soft upon the
nose...

the way the ink flows from the pen, onto the paper. is
very personal, and very important...
do you like the scratching sound of
an ink-drawn nib across the page, or the silent rolling
of a ballpoint along invisible lines....

once you have paper that makes you want to run
a light hand along it's smooth cheek, find a place where you
can close your eyes and imagine the face of your loved one...
how will he look smiling at your wry humor, or the set of
her brow as she reads your sad news...

then open up the floodgates of your heart and watch your
love, your tears, your laughter flow like a river from head
and heart, through arm and hand.... filling the pen with
words that  your fingertips will dance into a trail of love
notes...a symphony upon the sheet of paper you will fold
with care, seal with a kiss, and post in tomorrow's mail...

for how could you even begin to gather together your text
messages, turn them into treasured heirlooms that can be
tied with  blue satin ribbon, and kept secretly tucked away
for a granddaughter's finding