Why don't you write me* - Simon & Garfunkel

And I've been keeping all the letters
that I wrote to you,
Each one a line or two
I'm fine baby, how are you?
I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Michael Bublé, Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies

As i was singing the above song the other day, i started thinking of the days when we used to write letters to each other. Letter writing is such a lost art these days.

But it was such a wonderful thing back then. We used to go and look for nice letter pads (do such things still exist). Or the cheapers ones will seek to buy aerogrammes. Dun knwo what is it? Google it!

I remember those days long ago when i would specially set aside time and sit down to write, pages after pages. Using all kinds of paper that i could find - even using the tray papers from McDonald's or Coffee Bean.

Letter writing can be done anywhere! I remember a letter i wrote in the laundry room at Marley Hall while waiting for the laundry to get done.

There is this freedom one has when writing - not confined to the four corners of an email these days. One can write, scribble, draw, glue - and attachments are real things literally attached to the letter.

Once the letter has been composed, it is not the end of the creativity! One then can choose how to fold the letter - and then choose the type of envelope and address it artistically, even leaving small notes on the envelope, sometimes to the postman!

Then off ot the post office to queue up for the stamps! Finally dropping it into the post box, leaving it entirely by faith in the hands of the postman, that soon, it'll be dropped into a letter box, sometimes half way across the world, bringing warm greetings printed on a nice coloured (and sometimes scented) letter paper.

On the other end, receiving mail is one of the greatest joys of student life. Going to the post room is so fun - filled with the anticipation and hope, which culminates in great joy or bitter disappointment. Looking out of the window of yr house as the postman approaches, hearing the "clunk" of the metal letter slot of the front door indicating that letters have been pushed into the house... =)

Why dun we write anymore? Sure, we have e-mails these days. Text messages. But sending a letter seems more meaningful at times. Why? Well, it's perhaps because of the trouble it takes to do so - and the receipients realises that they mean something when the sender actually took the time to send them a letter. reading one's handwriting is so much more nicer than reading words off a PC screen, no matter what nice font you use.

One of the nicest letter writing stories i've heard was a colleague of mine who told us that just before he left to the UK to finish his studies, he hooked up with a girl here in Malaysia. While he was away, she wrote to him EVERYDAY!!!!!! Ok, altogether now - Awwwwwww..... how sweet! =)

*Taken from Side B of their 5th and final studio album.