Beyond the Envelope

Exploring the Enduring Magic of Letters

Dear Reader,

Letters have always been a significant part of my life—writing them, receiving them, and tucking them away in shoeboxes for safekeeping. They preserve moments in time, capturing emotions and connections that texts or emails just can’t. That love of letters inspired me to take on this ambitious project: handwriting one letter a day for 365 days.

To date, I’ve written 28 letters. Every morning, I sit down with pen and paper, pouring my thoughts onto the page. In our fast-paced, digital world, writing letters forces me to slow down, reflect, and express emotions more deeply. Some letters flow easily; others take longer. But each one feels like a small gift—to the recipient and to myself.

Reconnecting with friends (some I haven’t spoken to in years) has been a joy. And the letters I’m getting back? Total surprise. Finding an envelope in my mailbox now makes me as excited as I was when I got my first letter back in 1978.

Yes, since 1978, I’ve saved nearly 1,000 letters—from family, friends, exes, and more. If you’re thinking, “Wait, aren’t you a minimalist? Why save so many letters?” Fair question.

As a professional organizer, I believe that what you love isn’t clutter. (It’s the stuff you trip over on your way to the bathroom that needs to go.)

At first, I stored letters in a shoebox. Then they spilled into a dresser drawer, an old suitcase, and eventually a giant storage tote. Last year, I sorted them into envelopes by name (if I had more than 20 from a person) or groups like “camp friends,” “college friends,” and even “famous people.” But it’s not about where I kept them; it’s about why.

Nostalgia is the “act of revisiting positive memories to reaffirm our sense of self.” For me, rereading 40 years’ worth of letters is like rediscovering parts of who I was—my quirks, my passions, and even my mistakes. Maybe it’s the changes I see in the mirror or the moments I forget why I walked into a room that make me reach for those letters now. But even as an eight-year-old, I knew their value.

The first letter I ever received was from my father on October 15, 1978. It wasn’t handwritten but typed on a Shrinky Dinks sheet—my favorite craft then (and now). One line read:

“Please keep this little reminder with you whenever you feel blue or lonesome because it will tell you how special you are to all of us.”

That tiny (1.5” x 2”) letter has followed me everywhere, even into my 90-square-foot apartment. I framed it after college, and the message stuck—so much so that I’ve kept hundreds more letters since. They remind me of who I’ve been and maybe even hint at who I’m becoming.

Each week, I’ll share reflections on the letters I’ve written, stories about the people I’ve reconnected with, and excerpts from letters that have touched me. I’ll also explore the art and history of letter writing, offering tips and prompts to help you rediscover this beautiful practice.

If you have your own stories about letters—ones you’ve written, received, or wished you’d sent—I’d love to hear about them in the comments. And if there’s someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to, let this be your sign to pick up a pen and see where it takes you.

This isn’t just about me, though. Whether you’re a lifelong letter writer or someone who hasn’t licked a stamp in years, I hope A Love Letter to Letters will inspire you to do just that and reconnect with someone in your life.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Let’s see where these 365 letters take us.

With gratitude (and ink-stained fingers),

Felice

P.S. Who’s the first person you’d write a letter to? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear.