The Love Of Letters

Sir, - Arminta Wallace is right (The Irish Times, July 29th). Letter-writing is a neglected art

Sir, - Arminta Wallace is right (The Irish Times, July 29th). Letter-writing is a neglected art. No Email nor phone call can replace the love-letter.

I have some which I have treasured over the years. They still evoke great tenderness. No one is too old to receive and write a loveletter with joy. Even crusty old G.B.S. was chuffed by Stella Campbell's beguiling penmanship.

Indeed, it is not only romantic flowers-and-hearts letters that mean a lot. In my work as a lettercounsellor, I have found that countless people love to share themselves by letter-writing. They feel healed and relieved by so doing. Even in the middle of a family people can feel that they have no-one to whom they can open their hearts. So they write to a trusted confidant. It is not surprising that letter-writing and journal-keeping are advocated as forms of therapy.

Within relationships, this form of love's labour shouldn't be lost. (Marriage partners please note!) - Yours, etc.,

READ MORE

Angela MacNamara,

Lower Kilmacud Road,

Dublin 14.