Lost Art: The Decline of Handwriting in a Digital Age
People show their mood swings in a lot of different ways, such as by yelling, shopping, talking about other people, crying, and so on. But there is one more odd way to tell what someone is feeling: reading their handwriting. I find it interesting that someone’s handwriting can tell you so much about their mental health at that time. When I think back on the ~100 different kinds of writing I’ve done at different times, I can see how my mood affects my writing. It changes the way the words are placed, how long each letter is, how fast I write, and sometimes how it turns into scribbling near the end.
In this day and age of technology, I think most of us no longer write anything at all. We spend so much time on our computers and it’s so easy to change the font size, color, and character style on our devices that we miss the chance to find a page with different feelings scrawled on it. When I clean my room and closet, I always find old papers that have been scribbled on and have notes written on them at some point. This makes me curious. They make me feel different things. Sometimes I want to be happy and other times I want to tear them apart because they were meant to be a deep dark secret. So many diaries and papers from my maternal grandpa were found, and I love them so much. His books and writings make me feel like he is still here, even though he is not with me anymore.
I remember that when I started writing on real paper a few months ago, my fingers hurt so much. But to keep myself going, I thought about keeping a daily journal. The first thing I did for my office work was write down my daily tasks on a page. I also made sure to use my hands in other ways besides typing on my laptop or phone. At least writing doesn’t hurt my hands as much. I bought a handmade diary in Udaipur with the intention of writing down my daily thoughts and keeping a journal in it. I want to make it a habit to spend some time alone and avoid spending too much time in front of a computer.
I really enjoy art, records, journals, cards, and other things that are made by hand. These things are made with love and time, which is hard to find these days. WhatsApp has replaced letters and cards so easily and people do not wish to put in more efforts now. Earlier everyone used to compliment each other on their writings, but those days are over. I remember that we used to get in trouble at school if we didn’t write in the cursive pattern, especially in English class. I remember very clearly how we had to wait to use pens. In fourth grade, we used pencils, and our teachers told us, “Pencils are the best.” “Pens will ruin your writing.” We were still very excited about moving up to the fifth grade because that’s when we could start using pens. Honestly, I don’t think that teachers or schools do that much now to help students write clearly. Because kids are exposed to technology as soon as they are born, and I don’t think they want to work on improving their handwriting either, unless they want to be artists.
I really hope that everyone can find a way to relax with a pen and paper for at least an hour a week, away from their electronics. This could be a fun way to meditate.
