I read today that the moon is shrinking and that Barnes & Noble is up for sale. I know there are more urgent problems in the world (like Sarah Palin’s shrinking IQ and expanding ego being in charge of our future), but I just cannot handle a diminished moon and no shelves of books to lose myself in on a Sunday afternoon. We’ve already lost handwritten letters, and printing out emails for posterity doesn’t have the same feel without the eccentric handwriting, different textures of paper, colorful stamps. I have a cigar box with a bundle of pale blue airmail love letters written by two different men from two different countries in a long-ago summer, and they still exude a bit of moonlight and wantonness when I come across them and open the lid. So I don’t want to think of the moon forever waning or sexting replacing love letters or books becoming museum exhibits — even though I’m the most gadget-crazy person I know. I still need the mystery of love and mysteries published on paper and a moon so full and ripe it renders me speechless with awe.
I have boxes and boxes of letters. There is something lovely and special about them. I miss the intimacy of recognizing the handwriting of family members and friends.
Yes Please! I love the smell of ink on paper. Nothing replaces the printed word..and the moon had best shine bright in the sky.
What’s more scary than Palin’s shrinking IQ is the amount of people who think she’s the second coming(I’m at my desk gagging with vomit in my mouth at the thought !). I keep every card I’ve ever gotten , and every letter ever recieved , especially from my Oma in Germany, who, even though she has a computer , insists that email is evil !!