Amal Khdour
The Human Condition is a commonality among us humans; it is the experiences we undergo that are made up of different aspects that could contribute to love, death, friendship, and connection (Riley). As humans, connection with others is needed for survival, and communication is an essential part of our lives that helps us grow, prosper, and be our best selves. There is a need to be heard by others, to express suffering and happiness, and to be understood. Letter writing is seen as something ‘other’, a practice from the past that is slow and tedious, a waste of time in a world that is expectant of fast replies and quick telephone calls. However, letter writing feeds the human condition; it is a tangible representation of our physical bodies and a way to bring us together by showing value and authenticity, erasing that complete individualistic nature of society today. Letter writing is more than just a simple correspondence, more than just words being written down, there is a value in letter writing that pertains to enhancing the human condition as it is a tool for processing trauma and emotions, a healthier way to connect to yourself and others, and a means for giving a voice to the marginalized.
We are often told that in times of mental strife, in processing things like trauma, grief, depression, or anxiety to journal, to write down our thoughts and feelings in a diary for ourselves. Although it can be a piece of advice that seems futile in the face of what one is going through mentally it is an effective practice that reveals how letter writing and putting pen to paper feeds our humanistic desire to see evidence and palpability in front of us, to connect and find meaning with our struggles. In James W. Pennebaker’s book Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval he discusses how writing letters to oneself or others is a way to help cope with trauma and to make sense of and manage your feelings (Field). This is because there are no outside distractions from others on technology that can hinder your way of going about processing your emotions. In a research article from Psychology Today by John F Evans he explains how letters or transactional writing can heal as it is an exchange of feelings and beliefs with others that can help with introspection (Evans) . Letter writing pertaining to your mental health doesn’t have to be received by another it can be for you to have those thoughts in front of you to either rip apart in anger or stare at in admiration and understanding. There is a human need for emotional release, to let things out in small doses or all at once it can be a simple as a facial expression or as concrete as a letter. Letter writing can help us do that, make sense of our emotions, have them out on paper and give closure.
Communication in our world today is instantaneous in nature, filled with an expectation of fast replies and a copy and paste from those around you. Humans want to feel valued and foster connections, there is not always a need or desire for intimacy, but for a relationship that is not stripped of authentic expression. In an article, The Only Thing That Really Matters from the Harvard Business Review, Tony Schwartz explores how our core emotional need is to feel valued. He writes, “Our core emotional need is to feel valued. Without a stable sense of value, we don’t know who we are, and we don’t feel safe in the world” (Schwartz). Taking the time to ground yourself and write out words for another person is something of value; it is not a quick text shot on the way to work, nor is it a message that is void of you and the other person’s touch. A person’s personalization to letters, what they give to another with the way their pen moves, the touches added to the standard alphabet, the doodles in the corners of the pages, the seal you choose to close it, all of these elements are inherently you and that’s what makes letter writing so valuable. In a blog by David Graham Clark, he writes, “Having completed the act of writing, there is a sense of catharsis and satisfaction that is enhanced by placing it in the envelope, writing the address of the recipient, and applying the stamp” (Clark). According to a study by Pen Heaven, “64% of individuals would not sit down and handwrite a single letter in a year. Despite this, 69 percent indicated that getting anything handwritten in the mail meant more than receiving a text, tweet, or Facebook message” (Nupur). Overall, letter writing keeps emotional value alive in human correspondence that aligns with the personality and values needed in the human condition. As poet Willie Perdomo put it on PBS, “Letter writing is a pure act of devotion, a place where, if not storytellers, we all become human again” (Perdomo).
As humans, we yearn to be heard by others, to be understood and listened to. For many marginalized groups of people across the globe, that may not be possible due to a silencing that comes from authority through colonial powers and those in control of the media. Letter writing amplifies voices; it brings the opinions and desires of oppressed individuals, refugees, and prisoners of war into a written word that can bring about change. Letters have been written in large movements advocating for social change as it is something personal to the people. Letter writing also gives voices to those who may want the world to read their personal everyday struggles, hopes, dreams, and personal thoughts that aren’t mainstreamed for the world to hear and connect to. It can also be a way to connect and share similar experiences with another human who is going through the same as you are. From a website called Missing Perspectives, a letter from a young refugee named Divine Irakoze is provided. The letter is called A Letter to a Young Refugee, from a Young Refugee. Divine writes,” As a fellow refugee, I want you to know that I think about you and pray for you every day. And I know there are many others who feel the same way. I want to see you succeed and make a difference in the world” (Irakoze). This is an example of the power letter writing holds and how it can get a personal message across for those who don’t get represented in other contexts. It feeds the human condition to want to connect to others, find common ground, and have a chance to converse about it. The very fact that we on the outside have the means to read her letter is powerful enough as it gives us the power to create change with the words she gives us about her condition. Letters empower individuals, giving voices and allowing humans to create their own stories.
Letter writing is not merely a slower, outdated form of communication, as the world sees it. It is what feeds the human condition and impacts it in a multitude of ways. It gives us life and makes us feel valued as individuals who can feel disconnected or unloved. For the writer, letter writing is an outlet that requires putting your own personal touch to paper, one that is different than quickly typing out a message instantaneously, often without a second thought. Letters can be valued and treasured as a way to look into the past and reflect on the future. Writing is a way to externalize your mental struggles, understand their shape, and do something tangible with them. The human condition is a desire for connection not only with others but with yourself, and letter writing does that it grounds you and keeps you tethered to the ground you walk on as you write with your body and move the pen across the page. Letter writing also holds the power to give a voice to the voiceless and share similar experiences as we need to do as humans. Letter writing is a window into humanity, to personalization, to a declaration of love and empowerment.
Works Cited
Clark, David G. “The value of letter writing.” Quotidian, https://davidgrahamclark.net/2021/09/01/the-value-of-letter-writing/.
Evans, John F. “Transactional Writing: Letters That Heal.” Psychology Today, 14 March 2014, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/write-yourself-well/201403/transactional-writing-letters-that-heal. Accessed 3 December 2024.
Field, Barbara. “The Benefits of Writing Letters.” Verywellmind, https://www.verywellmind.com/sending-and-receiving-letters-have-powerful-benefits-5095709.
Irakoze, Divine. “A letter to a young refugee, from a young refugee.” Missing Perspectives, https://missingperspectives.com/posts/a-letter-to-a-young-refugee-from-a-young-refugee/. Accessed 3 December 2024.
M, Riley. “The Human Condition: What It Is, How to Find It, Why We Talk About It, & How To Write About It.” UCWbLing, 18 January 2021, https://ucwbling.chicagolandwritingcenters.org/the-human-condition-what-it-is-how-to-find-it-why-we-talk-about-it-how-to-write-about-it/. Accessed 3 December 2024.
Nupur. “What is The History of Letter Writing.” Post Patra, https://www.postpatra.com/blog/what-is-the-history-of-letter-writing/?srsltid=AfmBOooAhLvqe5WZMUH7VAFAPlr8fg0z1PEgZSBTI8jwP45wxxTZw33g.
“Poet Willie Perdomo on the value of writing letters in a digital world.” PBS News, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/poet-willie-perdomo-on-the-value-of-writing-letters-in-a-digital-world.Schwartz, Tony. “The Only Thing that Really Matters.” Harvard Buisness Review.
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