Show Transcript

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When was the last time that you received a handwritten letter in the mail?

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Or maybe better said, when was the last time that you actually sat down and

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wrote out a letter, put a stamp on it, and mailed it to someone?

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If it's been a while, well, then today is your episode to tune in a little bit closer.

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And that is because inside of today's episode, you are going to discover the

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amazing power of the handwritten letter.

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Yes, my friend, I am talking about pen and paper. Kind of makes you wonder,

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do they still even sell whiteout?

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Hey, it is episode 341. I'm excited you're here. Let's dive in.

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Yo, are you ready to flip the script on life? Because those bad days,

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they're just doors to better days.

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And that's exactly what we do here at Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

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Your host, Kevin Lowe. He's been flipping the script on his own life,

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turning over 20 years of being completely blind into straight-up inspiration,

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motivation, and encouragement just for you.

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So, kick back, relax, and let me introduce you to your host, Kevin Lowe.

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Now, I already know what you're thinking. Yes, I know exactly what you're thinking.

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You're not even two minutes into this episode, and you're already thinking,

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this is stupid. Why are we worrying about writing a letter?

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Why are we messing with pen and paper and whiteout?

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Kevin, we have texting. We have email. There's a thing called social media.

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Yes, I know. I've not been living under a rock. Trust me.

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And the truth is, I get it. I understand it's easy to shoot off a text message.

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It's easy to fill in the gaps with little cute emojis.

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But the thing is, is there's a depth to the art of writing a letter.

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It means something more than you may even realize.

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And the whole reason that I'm talking about this was because I was inspired

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by the story of Kara Wilson Granite and Otto Frank.

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That was featured back in episode 339, just two episodes ago.

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And if you heard that interview, you heard that they developed an amazing relationship

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all through the power of writing a letter.

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And it was through their story that it got me thinking about this lost art,

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this art of actually sitting down to write a letter to somebody,

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not to fire off a text message, not to send them an email.

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No, but to actually sit down and write out a letter.

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And by the way, before we continue, in case you're like, whoa,

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whoa, whoa, what about this episode you're referring to?

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Well, just go back. Like I said, it's episode 339, an amazing interview where

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we learn all about Otto Frank, the father of the infamous Anne Frank,

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you know, the author of the diary of Anne Frank.

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It's definitely an episode you should go back and listen to if intrigued on this whole topic.

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So I guess we want to start things off by understanding, but why?

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What makes it so important? What makes it more meaningful than sending a text message?

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And the truth is, is that when you write a letter, you're forced to slow down.

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You're forced to actually think about what you want to say.

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You're not dictating out a text message while driving. You're not searching

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your phone for the cutest emoji to describe exactly how you're feeling.

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No, you're literally having to put your thoughts into words and put your words onto paper.

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Now, I guess it's important to be clear on one thing.

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There is one slight exception to the rule is that whether you're writing it

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by hand or you're on a computer typing it out, it's the same thing.

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Now, yes, of course, a handwritten letter, there's nothing like it.

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But, well, if you're somebody like myself, you're completely blind,

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and it's a little bit hard to write out a letter.

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Well, you have the valid reason to type it out on a computer.

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But here's the thing. Even if it's on the computer, you're not emailing it.

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No. You're going to print it out. You're going to sign it.

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Yes, your handwritten signature. And you're going to put it in an envelope.

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You're going to put a stamp on it, and you're going to put it in the mail.

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So whether we're handwriting or we're typing it out, either which way,

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it's more than what we normally do.

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It's not just an email. It's not just a text message. And it darn sure ain't no DM on Instagram.

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No, this is real meaningful stuff. This is writing a letter.

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And the reason that this is so powerful is I ask you, do you remember the last

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time that you received a handwritten letter in the mail?

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Maybe you don't even remember that. And honestly, that's kind of sad.

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But I bet if you do remember, you remember how excited you were.

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How, wow, somebody took the time to send me a letter?

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In this digital age, when we go back old school, sending a letter in the mail,

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it's like a special surprise.

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Everybody's expecting nothing but junk mail to be waiting.

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But then to find a letter from you? Oh my gosh, it literally could make someone's day.

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But here's the real kicker is that letters, they literally have the ability to change lives.

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They express how we're feeling. We can tell somebody how much we love them.

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We can also use them to express how we're sorry, asking for forgiveness,

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pouring out our heart, letting them know that what we're saying is sincere.

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We didn't just want to send them a text message. No, we wanted to take the time

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to put our thoughts on the paper.

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And we wanted to let them know exactly how we're feeling.

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There's also the ability for it to brighten someone's day.

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For you to just send a random letter to a friend from the past who it's been

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way too long since you've talked to them.

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Instead of just texting them, instead you send them a letter.

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It opens up an amazing ability for you to re-kinder a relationship,

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a friendship with one another.

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The possibilities are endless.

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It's only going to be positive, I can guarantee you.

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And what I think is especially neat about a letter is it's tangible.

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You can hold it in your hand. You literally can put it in your desk drawer and remember it forever.

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Things that you can't do with a simple text message or an email.

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No, instead, you have something that you can keep forever.

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I guarantee you that you probably have letters stowed away either in a box up

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in the attic or maybe it's down in the bottom of your nightstand drawer.

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There's probably a couple of letters that you've received that have meant something to you.

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Well, what if you could be the one who starts being the one to write those letters,

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to start leaving an impact on somebody else's life?

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So inside of today's episode, your assignment is simple. I want you to sit down

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and I want you to write somebody a letter.

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Yeah, I'm talking about a real, honest, actual letter.

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Yes, it takes paper and a pen, especially a pen that works.

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And of course, if handwriting isn't so easy, like it isn't so easy for myself,

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then of course, just bust out the computer.

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But be sure that you have access to a printer because remember,

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I want you to print this out because you're sending it to the person via the mail.

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Yes, snail mail is back in style as of today's episode.

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This letter you're going to write, I want you to think about who you want to

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send it to. Is it a friend you haven't talked to in a while?

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Maybe is it a family member you see every day, yet you never really get to engage

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in a meaningful conversation?

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Or maybe it's your next door neighbor who you only see when you go down to get

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the garbage can or when you're out getting the mail.

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You always just have those short little conversations of, hey, how's it going?

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Oh, fine. And then you both walk back inside and never say anything.

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What if you instead sent a letter to your neighbor and literally just said,

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whatever's on your mind, let them know how grateful you are to have them as a neighbor.

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Whatever it is, it's just the act of you getting to express how you're feeling

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in a really unique way, an old school way.

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We're bringing the old school back to today, my friend, and we are revealing its amazing power.

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So my friend, I want you to remember that in this age of social media,

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of email, of texting, I want you to realize that by you sending a handwritten letter, it's radical.

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It's incredible. It's unique. It's unusual. And it's going to draw attention.

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It's going to mean something so much to the person who receives it.

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And to be quite honest, it's going to mean something to you.

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The fact that you did this, you took the extra effort to actually sit down and write out a letter.

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And ordinarily, I would tell you that if you like today's episode to please

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share it with a friend, but instead, no, don't share it with them. Don't text them.

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Instead, I want you to sit down and I want you to write them a letter.

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And if so compelled, you can explain why you were inspired to do such a radical

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thing as sending a letter?

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Well, it was because of episode 341 on the podcast, Grace and Inspiration.

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You should go listen to it. You tell them. That is a cool way of you sharing

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today's episode with somebody you love.

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My friend, I hope today's episode inspired you, encouraged you,

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maybe have you looking at things a little bit differently about this idea of

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writing a letter, the power in your words.

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It's going to mean something magical.

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And with that, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. I know I sure have been bringing it to you.

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And as always, my friend, stay awesome and live inspired.

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Music.