going the extra mile

My hands are in pain lately. I think it's gripping a pen more often these past few days than I've ever done in the past eight years which makes my hand feel somewhat sore. After getting used to typing words rather than penning them, writing with pen is something to get used to again.

I know it's inconvenient to write than type. I know that the pain I feel akin to carpal tunnel makes writing tiring. But the inconvenience and pain of writing fades to nothing once I’ve finished it. And knowing that the person who will read it will be smiling once he gets it is well worth the effort. Maybe I am a bit of a masochist. No, I take that back. I am a masochist, especially to people I care deeply about. Pain is nothing when you weigh it against their joy.

At this age of time when calling someone on the phone or sending an SMS is the convenient way of communicating and writing emails is the fastest way to get your message across, writing letters seem like a daunting task. It’s funny how when I was contemplating on writing a letter it made me somewhat wary. I mean... what more can you say when you talk to someone everyday? What words are worth so much effort that you would want to put in a piece of paper, seal it with an envelope, lick a stamp and go out of your way to drop in the post office? I felt somewhat perturbed to find the words to put on a piece of paper that will last close to forever.

When one’s goal is to give happiness to another, the what and the how is no longer unimaginable. As I got a myself a nice looking paper and a decent pen it was quite easy for my heart to open up and the words started forming in my head and sooner than I thought I was finished. I read it once and put it in the envelope and went to the post office to drop it off hoping the letter will get to the one I wrote it for. Because even if that letter won’t be treasured forever, at least at the time that person will get it I am certain a smile will form on his face and he will feel that he is loved.

So for the next coming weeks I will have to suffer a bit more of pain in my right hand. That is, until my hand gets used to writing letters again. I need to stock up on paper and pens to just to be able to write as soon as I want to. But for sure, I won’t be licking stamps anymore because I just found out that they actual stick on their own now.