The Old Fashioned, Communication..(??)

I heard a very familiar word just now from a movie which reminds me of the old days. The days where the word 'internet' is not really popular yet. This particular word brought back memories from the past. Are you familiar with the word pen-pal?

Well back in the days, we have one whole page in the daily newspaper filled with addresses and short profiles of people from around the world. I can't really remember which particular newspaper it was and when I learned about it, I don't really understand the concept of this pen-pal. I have to ask my big sister to explain it to me. After all, she was the one who introduced this to me when she received a few letters from her pen-pal from the US and Nigeria. Her pen-pals even sent her photos of them. When I saw it, I was like 'hmmm...interesting!'..Then I started pen-pal--ing..

For those of you who are not familiar with the concept, its actually just a simple letter writing to a new friend from anywhere across the globe. Put it simple, just take the word itself 'pen-pal'. 'Pen' as in a pen that you use to write, and the word 'pal' as in friend. So that is how you get the word 'pen-pal'. Simple as that.. :)

During those days, the only way of communicating with friends from across the world is by letter. Even we do have phones back then, still it will cost you a lot. So letters are the most convenient and cheapest medium of communication in the world. I wrote three different letters to three different people from three different places. Then I had to anxiously wait for their replies. Amazingly, only one replied. It was super fun when you get your very own mail in the mailbox. Even interesting when you see your very own name written in handwriting on the envelope. My heart literally jumped up and down when I saw that. However, that was my first and last pen-pal letter in my life. Afterwards, I was not able to commit to it due to my active schedule in school. Too bad for that.

Even though most of us prefer a fast medium to communicate with each other like what the internet can offer, when you write a letter, there is always a sentimental value to it. You can see the sender's own handwriting and there is something that you can hold in your hands from the sender. You can smell it, taste it and keep it for your own letter collection. As we know, the world is changing fast and less letters are sent around nowadays.

More people are using the internet for formal business and even when they wanna say Hi to each other. Its fast and convenient and enables fast communication. Everything is possible at the tip of your fingers when using internet. However, you won't be able to really feel it.

For me, old ways or old fashioned communication is of course slow and  not relevant in our modern world. However I believe that one day when everything uses internet as the main way of communicating with each other, somehow, letters will still be around even at the smallest area in the world.

What do you think? If there is no more letters i this world, will it be the end of paper productions? Will there be more electronic devices created? Will human no longer use paper and pen at work or even in schools?

This is merely my own thoughts..Thanks for reading! :)

Cheers~