When was the last time you received a handwritten letter from a friend in the mail? Ok, ignore Xmas and Birthdays, that kind of skews my point. Let me rephrase, when was the last time YOU wrote a handwritten letter and sent it by post? As in you got some paper, you wrote on it, put it in its envelope, found the address (which alone seems like walking on the Moon these days), stamped it and put it in the post box. When was the last time you actually physically did that? Maybe you are awesome and do it all the time? If that’s the case then where the hell is my card? Still on its way?

Back in July last year we met up with an old school friend who is living in Germany, he sends handwritten letters. He inspired us to do the same. We left each other with the promise that we would write to each other. No not email, not text, not viber, not skype, not twitter, not via a Sideways Crayon site. We would physically write to each other with pen and paper and then post. Why? Because I don’t know about you but receiving a handwritten letter in the mail feels great, and when I see my address, I instantly start trying to guess who the hand writing belongs to.

While we were inspired by our friend, we never went through with the promise and we’re now seven months on! Ironically, I bought the card, I had the pen, I wrote the letter and I got the stamp, but I never got to the post office. Perhaps lazy, perhaps wasteful, perhaps I thought ‘I’ll do it later’. Well, for this promise, later is today. Today I picked up a pen and paper and wrote to our friend in Germany. It felt unique, it felt rewarding and it felt special. Add to that I can’t wait to hear that it has arrived!

With my 12 month challenge in place it meant I couldn’t buy a card, after all I can’t buy anything brand new unless I sell something first. I had to put my thinking cap on and make one. It wasn’t that hard, it didn’t take that much time, it cost less than buying one and it felt unique.

So my question to you is, when was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail? Not lately? Well, try putting pen to paper today and see what you get back in return, you’ll be reminded how great it feels.

If you would like a handwritten card in the post, send your address to sidewayscrayon@gmail.com or private message me on facebook and I will send you one, no matter where in the world you are! Your address will ONLY be used to send one card, a card to start a movement back to writing letters ‘the old fashioned way’. Yes email is convenient, but sometimes it’s nice to receive by post. Which card below might you be receiving from Sideways Crayon?