Fifty thousand words.
‘A ballpoint pen - is a writing instrument which dispenses a viscous ink
from an internal reservoir through the rolling action of a metal ball at its
point.’ – tells us the Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia. There is a fact, that a
good ballpoint pen can write about 50 000
Earlier, when the ballpoint pen had just appeared, their price was about
$12 for one, in translation to our currency it is approximately 340 rubbles.
It’s too expensive, you’ll say, because we have such a variety of stationery:
different color, material, thickness.
But they are not so appreciated as it was long ago, and the words aren’t
too. What can we do, if we live in the world, where the Internet is ruling
everything? We don’t write ordinary letters, which were written sincerely, from
the heart, which were waited for
impatiently, and then, when the letters were received, they were re-read
several times. I think that our moms and grannies are still preserving these
yellowed envelopes.
My family has a big box of such envelopes and postcards. I liked to read this letters too much in my
childhood. A lot of different postcards for every holiday, with different
pictures, inspirations: for New Year, Christmas, and even for the 1st
May!
‘Happy New Year! I wish you
happiness and health! Kiss your little daughter and mommy from me. Miss you so
much. Your Sveta.’
I was really interested in who the author of such letters was. And I didn’t understand how this Sveta could kiss me if she wasn’t here, how she could kiss me with the help of the paper? But my mom and granny just smiled with nostalgia when I showed them different postcards and asked questions. My parents appreciate these letters so much. It’s the memory, it’s their past, they have things to remember. They have different pieces of all people who were dear to them, of people who are still near them, or of people who will never be with them, but the most important thing, that they have it, and they will never forget it, because the written word remains. And what we have? A lot of conversations in social networks? Or some e-mails for work?
You know, the one of my favorite books is written in letters. I suppose I began to appreciate paper and pen after this novel. It is called ‘Where the rainbow ends’, it is written by my adorable author Cecilia Ahern. She showed us how the love is growing from friendship. The telephone calls were too expensive, so they wrote letters. A lot of different letters about everything: what has happened, about friendship, love, children, etc. They wrote things, that they can’t say to each other, and at the end, the main character was sitting among this her letters and remembering all her life. She didn’t forget anything, because she had her letters, which was were so important. There is are no one author’s words, just letters in this novel.
And what about letters, which children write to the Father Frost? Will
they really disappear one day? Remember the war-time, when wives waited
impatiently for news from their fathers, husbands, sons… Will they really not be
appreciated one day?
Now everything is kept on the hard disk of our iron friend – Computer.
Everything: letters, favorite music, films. Of course, it is convenient, but
some value of it is not felt. What we have to remember if even the photos are
kept in e-form. What will happen if it is broken some time? We will have none
of the memory left.
The same thing with words. People don’t feel its value; do not cling to
the words, accidentally thrown to the wind. Often we can’t find what to say, so
what can we say about the letters? But the thoughts look more distinctly,
better and neatly on paper. So it can help you in a difficult situation to
understand your thoughts. Paper can’t blush.
You know, that a good ballpoint pen can write about 50 000 words.
Think, which words you will write next time.
Lena Kuznetsova
Now I am writing (or better to say typing) some words about your remarkable article. As you I have a lot of special letters from my parents' and grandparents' friends. In my early childhood I found a little box with a lot of bright painted cards. It was the treasure for me because my father sent these letters for my mother when she was pregnant. I was reading them with tears.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we've lost some value of letters when computer comes to our life. I am not against social networks but I call to remember about REAL letters and REAL life.
When you receive a letter from someone you love, you start feeling the smell, imagining this person and pressing this little card to your heart. Could you ever do the same with emails?
Your article made me think of value of people's communication.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, we're living at the age of the computer technologies but it doesn't mean that the words typed on a computer and sent by e-mail lost their value and sense. The point is that it's more comvenient to send e-mails today than to write real letters. Of course, it's extremely pleasant to get a handwritten letter or a postcard. The problem is that we must always think about what we write and do it on purpose. All the words must be significant! And no matter are they written on paper or sent by mail.
Lena,thanks a lot for your article. I find it quite amusing and unusual. I like your reflections about 50 000 words. I think not many people think about a ballpoint pen from this interesting angle! Especially I like a part where you tell us about your memories from the childhood.In my opinion it brought in you article warmth and sincerity.
ReplyDeleteIn your article there are some rhetorical questions about letters to The Farther Frost and letters during the war-time.And what about you? Have you ever written letters to the Farther Frost? Do your grandparents have letters from the battle-front? I think it will be very interesting to share it with the readers)).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLena, thanks for your article. I found it very curious, amazing and interesting! Firstly, I paid attention to the headline could be connected with different topics. But "Fifty thousand words" refered to a ballpoint pen, how it was unexpected!
ReplyDeleteThe questions of introduction put the task to tell what the next story is about. I couldn't follow development of these questions. Certainly, I understood the main idea that you implied, and completely agree with you that written words in the letters have a big value in our technological century. You can read the letters and the words will convey the meaning which will stay in your memory forever.
I found your article very lyrical and full of thoughts conserning the value of warm words and memories.The idea about ball pens shows us if a person appreciate the significance of simple but sincere words. It's sad that nowadays more and more people forget about sending letters, those, which are written on paper by the hand of the caring dearest person.Of cause with the help of e-mails people exchange information, this method is quick and free...However it's difficult to give the part of your heart,soul,love and care through such electronic letters.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child I wrote letters to Father Frost before New Year every winter. This always added some kind of magic and excitement to the holiday.We still have these letters from childhood and lots of others letters, as they carry the best memories from the past.
I think this article will help people not to forget about the true value of simple but warm and sincere words which are written on the piece of paper.