Cerebal Health

On writing letters

On Writing Letters

When did you handwrite a letter or two to anyone? Especially after the advent of smartphones and a host of Apps. Seriously?

And am sure a majority of us would answer this in the negative. And those who love to write and receive handwritten letters will rue how they lost that joy in the new technological era. 

Do you think today anyone can sing and dance by hugging her mobile after receiving a message or email?

Should the technology alone take this blame for our general regression from the use of pen & paper to digital imprints or from living in memories to living in the moment? Either way, the casualty is that of our, both and young, cerebral health, I feel. 

It hurts when I see even the toddlers are given mobile phones all through their growing up years. These days not just children, young or old, but even those from the older generation do not write cards or small letters to their siblings, parents, grandparents. The focus is on digital impressions. But then, even the parents do no longer write letters which is anti-mimesis for the kids. 

However we may desire to write letters, it is all-important to shape our desires—to assume some agency and intentionality in this process.

We all need models of desire. The question is where we will find them. In each other? That’s the great drama of human relationships. Each of us is at every moment of the day helping one another want more or want less. There’s no in-between. [12 Life Lessons from One of the Most Penetrating Minds in History - Anti-Mimetic—A Field Guide to Mimetic Desire (lukeburgis.com)

Therefore, a lot depends on the parents/grandparents or siblings for a younger kid to adopt the habit of handwriting.

Growing up, mimicking my parents, brothers, even my grandfather, who used to write in Mori (pronounced as Modi. Not the one you assume) script, more prevalent in pre-independence days, was fun. But of course, not without incentive for doing that. I could claim an omelette and a slice of bread or a glass of hot creamy milk with a dash of jalebi if I handwrite the whole editorial from a newspaper or write a small letter on a Sunday. What was yours? 

That habit stayed with me (without any incentive, though). I am sure your experience must have been the same as was mine in the pre-technology era. 

What happened, thence?

There was a joy picking up a greeting card, writing stationery and matching envelopes to go with it. I lost the count of letters written for friends & relatives, intra or inter-city or even across continents. Many responded but a few just ignored. 

If you ask me how was the experience, it was no different than what has been yours. But something unique was experienced when ten long years were spent with defence/security personnel, across India including in far-flung areas of the North East. You can relate to that if you have seen the movies like Haqeekat or Border.

Every morning, the Dak Runner (DR), riding on his iconic Royal Enfield Bullet motorbike, would go to pick up mail from the post office. Everyone anxiously waits for his return as he may be carrying a letter or two from a lover, loving spouse & kids, caring siblings or a concerned parent back in his village. 

Once the official dak is separated from personal ones and passed on by calling names to the recipients, those who received letters carried mixed feelings of joy or sadness and who did not receive any would return melancholically to the barracks. 

The recipients of good news would invariably celebrate with sweets bought from the unit canteen. They would hug & kiss their letters, clutching them in their hands or the breast pocket. Reading them now and then, all through the day and holding photographs of their family members to their chest and sleep happily. Those who have not received any letter, hope for a bright morn the next day! Those who received any news of illness or death in the family was never left alone in the barrack! That’s the bromanship! 

In the new technology era, when I spoke to some of these persons, their spouse or old parents, they are unison in saying how they miss those handwritten letters. They rue that they cannot hug those lifeless phones, kiss the screen or feel the emotions of their dear ones. Many have either accidentally deleted digital copies/photos or lost all of it when the device replaced. Many do not know how to record & save a conversation a photo or a letter. Even if they do that, they cannot touch or smell the emotions expressed in letters.  

A copious scientific data is out there on how handwriting, especially cursive, helps in robust cerebral health –

• Definite positive effect on functional brain developments & memory retention;

• Improves cognitive performance & motor skills (cognitive functions decline as we age);

• Delays ageing of the brain;

• Stimulates the part of the brain which is known as Reticular Activating System (RAS);

• Ushers calmness to our life which can stimulate creativity;

“Learning to write by hand is a bit slower process, but children need to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand. The intricate hand movements and the shaping of letters are beneficial in several ways. If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor skills and senses. It’s important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible. I would use a keyboard to write an essay, but I’d take notes by hand during a lecture,” says Van der Meer. Why writing by hand makes kids smarter (norwegianscitechnews.com)

“The brain has evolved over thousands of years. It has evolved to be able to take action and navigate appropriate behaviour. We need to live an authentic life. We have to use all our senses, be outside, experience all kinds of weather and meet other people. If we don’t challenge our brain, it can’t reach its full potential. And that can impact school performance,” says Van der Meer.

 According to Dr Marc Seifer, a handwriting expert and the author of the best-selling book The Definitive Book of Handwriting Analysis, as we move our hands and fingers when we write, it stimulates the motor cortex in our brain. The same does not happen when we text or type.

It is not a theory anymore, but it is a scientifically approved fact. If you are looking to enhance your brain functions and cognitive performance, start practising handwriting today.

For the sake of our cerebral health, should we resume writing – writing letters to our dear ones, children, siblings and friends? Without worrying whether they will respond to our letters or not? Those in the teaching profession, either a class teacher or the Principal, can imagine what positive impact your one letter would have on some of your students during this pandemic. We can even write a letter or two to those who are in seniority living complexes or those who are less privileged. I think we should. 

By all means, if you prefer writing to me, a response is assured. Each time, all the way! 

Cheers to our cerebral health!