The advent of email and SMS are the culprits behind the demise of letter writing.  Not too long ago, we had to go down to National Book Store or Alemar's and buy stationery in order to write a well meaning letter to the people we cared for.  There were even pens with scented ink in those days.

Today, it is so ironic that despite the facility of email and SMS and...toll free calls across the country (if you're using Globelines), we have only become too quick in our messages and replies.  The swiftness of the communication does not directly translate to the quality of the expression.  Moreso...the permanence of the expression. 

As opposed to the old-fashioned letter in an envelope which could even be folded in a myriad of ways or eventually framed, the email or sms is always at the mercy of the delete button.

I thought of writing this piece because of the letter I read yesterday.  It was a letter by Anton San Diego, Philippine Tatler's editor, written to his late dad.  One may pick up yesterday's Inquirer and read it.

Anton wrote with apologies to his late dad for not having been around at the time of his dad's death.  And so as sort of a make-up for not having made it back on time being on business abroad, Anton used his space in his regular column in the Inquirer to have his letter printed.  I guess it was in the hope that somehow Dad San Diego would read it from wherever he was in the cosmos.

At the end of the column, Anton urges everyone to be as expressive as we can be to the ones we hold dear.  Agreed.  But what Anton fails to stress though is creating the permanent expression which flows through a pen.  Yes, people today may be more expressive.  We see more men allowing their tears to flow in the open.  Families hugging in public.  Friends binding themselves in warm embrace.  But we see less of the permanent gesture which comes through paper and pen.

I am affixed on this because I had the same regrets as Anton.  My father-in-law passed away on the 8th of August and in my mind, I thought, I could have prodded my kids to write him a letter before he went.  Simple scribbles which could mean a great amount of appreciation to their grandfather.  I could have written my letter of appreciation too.  So with my wife.

With these two similar events taking place, I encourage you reader, take out that pen and look for your finest stationery.  Then write.  Just write.  To your dad, your mom, your wife, your husband.  Just write.

You have to do it now because it will take days to mail it (just in case you forgot that there still exists an R.P. Mail) .  Not all of us have the privilege of Anton San Diego who can use Philippine Daily Inquirer space in lieu of a physical or cosmic mailman.  Hence, let's just do it using the old fashioned way...with envelope and postage stamp.