Handwritten letters are finding a place in an increasingly digital world, offering a slower and more personal way for people to connect.
For Kallangur-based small business owner Steph Rowe, the appeal of putting pen to paper began with the letters she exchanged with her grandmother, Iris.
“I still have some of the letters my nan sent me,” she said. “I cry when I read them. I miss her so much.
“She instilled in me that experiencing life was the most valuable thing one could do.”
These memories inspired Steph to establish Dear Diary Letter Club, a creative project centred on traditional mail, with subscribers receiving monthly ‘parcels of joy’ containing letters, poetry, stories and artwork from new creatives.
“I have realised that making someone feel special through writing, art, and creating little parcels is what I was supposed to do my whole life,” she said. “I am sharing with another human the connection and joy of unwrapping all the elements I have packed.”
She said the format encouraged people to step away from screens, connect with another human, and engage with art.
“It creates an immediate feeling of joy,” Steph said.
The Joy of Slowing Down and Connecting
“They get to connect in a deeper way with an artist and then hang their work on the wall if they choose.
“It forces a person to take a moment out of their busy life for themselves, sit down with a cuppa, and disconnect from screens.”
Steph said letters were also valuable for sharing and preserving stories, as they held a moment in time.
“They carry the handwriting, the mood, the exact words chosen in that season of life,” she said. “They become keepsakes that can be returned to again and again.
“Imagine in 100 years, people finding my letters and reading them – how incredibly cool would that be?”
While letter writing was once a routine part of staying in touch, Steph said interest in more traditional forms of communication was returning as people sought greater connection in their lives.
“The world we lived in 20 or 30 years ago is coming back around,” she said.
“Letters, phone calls, having a conversation with someone – these things are so important.”
Learn more about Dear Diary Letter Club.
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