15 Comments
May 27Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

So beautiful, Leanne! A thoughtfully composed and beautifully written letter is a gift from the heart like no other.

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

I think about this a lot, that’s why I print my online writing into a book every year. I even built them into the walls of my house when I renovated it in hopes that someone finds my work hundreds of years from now! I want to do more of that, and handwritten things too!!!!!

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

Seems a reminder of a forgotten time, when things were clearer because they had been painstakingly written down.

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author

Yes!! It almost feels like a forgotten time because time is speeding up! It’s strange, but when I started thinking about writing letters and receiving letters, it felt like something from when I was a little child instead of something when I was still a university student!!

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

Yes, and the change came under the cover of darkness, without warning.

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

Beautiful and moving!!

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author

Thank you so much! You made my day!

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

I didn't read the Owen essay, but I have kept everything. I rarely reread the letters I've received, and the ones I've sent are lost forever (That's one advantage of e-mail, one gets to keep one's own writing.). Your story of the man hoping to get a last sample of handwriting from his dying friend is wonderful, and reminded me of a suitor so afraid of angering me that he wrote a letter in the lightest grade pencil so that it was hardly legible and therefore couldn't possibly offend me.

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Thank you so much for this wonderful comment! I really recommend reading the essay. Let me know if you can’t access it! Your comment reminded me so much of an experience I had where I was tasked to represent our neighborhood at a funeral and one of the neighbors gave me handwritten notes for how to dress, how to speak, and how to write things down, and she told me to speak in a very quiet voice, and not enunciate too loudly or sharply and if I wrote anything down to have a light hand. I wasn’t supposed to startle or be forceful not even in writing.

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

I love that you're planning to do some writing NOT on the computer. Will be interested to see how it goes.

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May 26Liked by Leanne Ogasawara

Love your story about the letters from your ex-husband. Yes, so sweet.

I find handwriting really compelling and hate that kids aren't learning cursive writing anymore.

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Me too!!! I can hardly address an envelop anymore and when my friend asked me to send him a letter I was so worried about writing the Japanese address.... Can't I use a pencil? :) I have completely lost my ability, but want to try and get it back this summer a bit...

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RemovedMay 28Liked by Leanne Ogasawara
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My handwriting has gotten so bad in both Japanese and English.... I left in 2011, but until then, I always sent letters written by hand, including new years cards. I loved doing it and also receiving them! I am hoping to get back to it~~ en garde recipients!

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