Facts about letters

The Lost Art of Letter Writing: 10 Interesting Facts

Letter with text, gray envelope and feather in hand on gray background, top view
Photo by depositphotos.com

In an era dominated by digital communication, the art of sending physical letters seems almost forgotten. Are you still keeping this tradition alive? Whether it’s a handwritten note or a carefully chosen greeting card, the impact of receiving a letter can be profound. Here are some interesting anecdotes about letters that might inspire you to pick up a pen:

1. A Message from Confinement: In 2012, an Oregon woman discovered a letter in her Halloween decorations from Kmart, written by a Chinese labor camp prisoner. The prisoner, released in 2010, later thanked her through another letter after seeing a news story about it. He estimated that he had secretly written about 20 letters while imprisoned.

2. Royal Secret: A secret letter from Queen Elizabeth II is securely locked away in a vault, with instructions not to open it until 2085.

3. Mandatory Mailboxes: In 1923, the U.S. Post Office Department required every household to have a mailbox or letter slot, marking the end of personal door-to-door deliveries by letter carriers.

4. Mr. Rogers’ Daily Ritual: Mr. Rogers was dedicated to responding to every fan letter. Waking up at 5 AM to pray, he then wrote back to fans who shared their personal joys and sorrows with him, averaging 50 to 100 letters daily.

5. Historical Correspondence: Karl Marx wrote to Abraham Lincoln, congratulating him on his reelection in 1864 and his efforts against slavery.

6. The Greatest Love Letter: A letter Johnny Cash wrote to June Carter in 1994 was voted the greatest love letter of all time. Their legendary love story lasted until their deaths, months apart, in 2003.

7. A Young Castro’s Request: A 14-year-old Fidel Castro once wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, requesting a $10 bill because he had never seen one and wished to have it.

8. A Freedman’s Reply: Jordan Anderson, after being freed from slavery, humorously responded to a request to work again for his former master by asking for 52 years’ worth of back pay.

9. Bob Ross’s Care: The beloved painter Bob Ross received up to 200 letters daily. Concerned for fans who suddenly stopped writing, he would sometimes call them to ensure they were well.

10. Underestimated Gratitude: A study published in Psychological Science found that recipients of thank-you letters often feel more appreciated than the senders anticipate.

These stories highlight the unique and enduring impact of written correspondence, reminding us of the personal connection and history preserved in each handwritten letter. Perhaps it’s time to revive this beautiful tradition. What do you think? Will you send a letter today?

10 Fascinating Tales of Messages in Bottles

A message inside a glass bottle, washed up on a remote beach.
Photo by depositphotos.com

The romance and mystery of messages in bottles have captured our imaginations for centuries. These floating time capsules have been used to send distress calls, express undying love, or even reach out for companionship. Let’s journey through some of the most captivating tales and tidbits associated with these bottled messages.

  1. Ancient Echoes: The oldest message in a bottle ever found was discovered on an Australian beach in 2018. This 132-year-old message, penned in German, had a simple request: to record the coordinates of where it was found and the discovery date, and then send it back.
  2. Titanic’s Tragic Goodbye: During the sinking of the Titanic, an Irish passenger penned a farewell note and cast it into the sea. The bottle later washed up near his home, where his distraught mother identified his handwriting.
  3. Homecoming after 150 Years: Chunosuke Matsuyama, a Japanese seaman, dispatched a message in a bottle in 1784 after his ship met with disaster. Astonishingly, it made its way to the village of his birth in 1935.
  4. Global Outreach: A Canadian islander has released over 4,000 messages in bottles into the vast ocean. He’s garnered replies from 3,100 individuals from different corners of the world.
  5. Bottled Romance: In 1956, Swedish sailor Ake Viking’s bottled message addressed “To Someone Beautiful and Far Away” was discovered in Sicily by Paolina, a 17-year-old girl. Letters flew back and forth, leading to their marriage in 1958. However, the romance of bottled messages is often short-lived, as most bottles either hit shores or sink to the ocean floor within 8-10 months.
  6. Mystery Unveiled: The SS Pacific vanished during its 1856 Liverpool-New York voyage. In 1861, a message from a passenger detailing the ship’s sinking due to icebergs appeared on the Hebrides shores, shedding light on the tragic mystery.
  7. Guinness’s Grand Gesture: To mark its 200th birthday in 1959, Guinness launched 150,000 special bottled messages into the Atlantic. This endeavor stands as one of history’s longest-running ad campaigns.
  8. In Search of Love: A Scottish widower released 2,000 bottled messages seeking female companionship. However, after causing public uproar and drawing the attention of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, he ceased his efforts.
  9. JFK’s Coconut Rescue: During WWII, JFK found himself stranded on a desert island. Ingeniously, he carved a distress message onto a coconut, leading to his rescue. This iconic coconut later adorned the Oval Office.
  10. The ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus, in 310 BC, is credited with dispatching the earliest recorded messages in bottles. He embarked on this endeavor to substantiate his hypothesis that the waters of the Atlantic Ocean merged into the Mediterranean. Remarkably, similar bottle-releasing methods were employed to analyze ocean currents right up to the 20th century.