On: Handwritten Letters

I can't remember the last time I received a handwritten letter. 

Actually, that's a fib. I do remember. Almost five years ago, I received a letter from one of my favorite Vacamas campers, Tammy. Such a sweetheart. 

It wasn't too long a letter, maybe just three-quarters of one page. It was in big black bubble letters, the standard insignia of every urban girl her age. I remember it saying that she was going to miss me when she returned back home to Queens and that she'd never forget me. She said I shouldn't forget her either and that was unsure if she would return to camp again, but she'd try. :(

Now Tammy and I had a tough time initially. We just didn't take to each other during our first days of meeting each other. I remember a lot of eye-rolling and foot-stomping and a whole lotta venting on my part to other counselors. There was mad talk-back from Tammy too; homegirl just never knew when to quit! Looking back, I don't even know why I was stressing because Tammy had the same kind of mouth I did--the kind my mother would often WHOOP. MY. ASS. for. 

Anyway, after a while, we began to warm to each other. Spending practically every waking minute of the day in the middle of West Milford, Friggin' New Jersey together, you kinda had to. Tammy, I, and about seven other girls ate, swam, camped out, hiked and talked smack---always together. I became Mother Bear and the girls--Tammy included--became my babies. I gave them the benefit of the doubt even when their actions demonstrated otherwise, always called them first to do activity or volunteer to lead in song-- just straight-up, unabashed camp nepotism. Tammy especially learned REAL quick that I was a good person to kiss up to when we were hungry and cold in the wilderness and I was only one of two people there that could start a fire without matches.

So it was just a matter of time before little Tammy became my ace. It's a great feeling, having a kid mention you in her "highs" and not in her "lows" as she usually did lol. (Every day, right before lights out it was routine for the girls to tell the rest of the bunk her high points of her day and her not so high points of the day. For a solid week, homegirl had me on her sh*t list something lovely). 

But anywaaaay, back to the letter thing. I haven't lost Tammy's letter, per se--it's somewhere in this hoarder's paradise that I call my room. I'm sure if given a few hours, I'd find it wedged between two books on my shelf or in my 'miscellaneous' drawer.  I know it's here somewhere. 

Along a slightly related parallel, I had a conversation with a friend earlier today about wanting to be written letters to. With emails, and texts and IMs and now--oh good grief--Twitter, it's kinda made me sad to think that no one takes time to write. Like, really take time. No one takes time to do anything anymore. 

I realized I'd love a handwritten letter. I'd love to GIVE a handwritten letter. So in the spirit of saving a dying art form and as a tribute to dear Tammy from Queens and her lovely letter, I'm gonna attempt to write a letter a week to whomever would like one. 

You in?