I was 9… I walked through the front door after a long day at school, excited and anxious as mother has told me that there was a present for me at home! I dropped my what seems to be 20 pounds backpack, ran to the living room and saw this little white envelope with a familiar handwriting on it:

            “To Elizabeth Cheng” it read… along with my address back then (which I can’t recall right now…). I turned the envelope over and saw “From: Leanna Siu”…and I think a line that says “Thank you Mr. Postman” (or something like that).

            MY FIRST LETTER FROM MY BEST FRIEND SINCE I MOVED FROM SF TO HK!!!

I am 25… I walked opened the gate of my mom’s apartment after a long night of Mah Jong Marathon at Nat’s, excited, anxious, AND tired I must admit as mother has told me over the phone that there is a letter for me! A LETTER!!! In 2009?!?!?! I quietly rushed to the dining room in the dark at 5am and saw this little white envelope with a familiar handwriting on it:

            “To Elizabeth Cheng” it read… along with my mother’s address. Though it doesn’t say who it’s from.. but I knew it was from Kaka…

            MY FIRST LETTER FROM MY BEST FRIEND SINCE I MOVED FROM SF TO HK!!!!

Both times I couldn’t wait to read what my friends wrote…Both times had brought me to tears…!!!

When Leanna wrote me… I felt so loved… because the letter showed me that I am still loved by my bestfriend… I wasn’t forgotten! When Kaka wrote me… I felt… special. How often does one get a handwritten letter nowadays?

Living in the 21^st century… who would really want to go to the store, pick out a card (with matching envelopes), buy nice pens, write “something nice”, buy stamps, bring the envelope to the post office to mail out a letter or a card when everything is only ONE CLICK AWAY? Emails, Online messenger, International Texts, Facebook, Myspace….etc. are all sources that can connect you with a friend with a Click. Or several Clicks… For special occasions… there are Ecards… FREE E CARDS to be exact. Oh and with templates. As if everything is not “standard” enough. So why send letters/cards?

Personally, I can never get more excited to receive a handwritten-letter (or card) from a friend (abroad or not!). Just the thought of seeing a letter in the stack of usual mail that’s not Catalogs or Bills is orgasmic! No? Why is it so hard these days for people to do such act when it simply requires one to pick up a pen and write to someone that you care for? I remember when I use to thrive off the fact that my best friends from another continent and I had touched the same piece of paper! Not that I’m psycho or anything… just because that makes me feel connected. Human touch --- very important!

Technology has brought the world a lot closer, yes? Well… I beg to differ. Although people are communicating more frequently… but this tremendous effortlessness in communication seems to have been taken for granted. Instead of meeting with a friend for coffee, just the two of you, to chat about the personals, people can just send an email. Instead of going to visit/hug a friend/relative who lives miles away… people can just use video-chat. COME ON PEOPLE! STOP BEING SO DAMN LAZY! A friend’s in the hospital…don’t just go to www.moreflowers.com to get him/her some flowers with the “Get well soon” card. Go to a shop (which may be right next to the hospital entrance), buy a bouquet and GO SEE YOUR FRIEND!! Sending the flower to his/her HOME doesn’t make it that much more personal!!!! Ok, technology was invented to bring the world closer… but I think the laziness in human beings has USED technology in a way where it’s doing the contrary!