Monday, February 11, 2008

Virtual attack!!



Last December, our chief artist, all of 10 years, sketched out a few holiday scenes, with his deputy aiding him in coloring them. He made a few and sent them to a few friends. We received enthusiastic thank you email messages from most of them!

We have a little tradition in the TA household where on every birthday, the birthday baby gets a card (usually hand made)… My birthday was no different. Like every year, the elder boy was galvanized into action by his father and he remained closeted in his room making a card for me. It was cute more so by the very visible efforts to keep it a surprise. The little one, too, came up with his little version.

Not very long ago, when i was young, occasions like these used to be preceded by the arrival of greeting cards by post. I remember waiting for the post in the days leading to my birthday. The cards would arrive in succession, heralding the important moment. Nothing surpasses the pleasure of receiving that special envelope with your name inscribed on it. Diwali and New Years had their own charm with cards from all over the world pouring in. We used to hang them on strings and display them with enormous pride. The stamps stuck in that corner used to be the most sought after, to add to that proud collection.

Sadly everything is so virtual these days…From the numerous cards, it surely has trickled down to a few loyal ones. E-greetings, text messages and phone calls have taken over. The text messages have certainly increased over the years!!

Things have certainly changed!! The postman has been sadly sidelined by his electonic counterpart. Would my children ever know the pleasure of receiving a snail mail? I hope so...
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A postman's lament!!!

Letters no more, the postman sighs
everyone's reading posts
Of a different kind
Sent by virtual lines
These are indeed changed times!

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The prompt at the Writer's island is 'changed'

24 comments:

dame's diary said...

TA,

sigh..

Those were the days!!

--xh-- said...

yeah - i still ahve a huge box which have almost all teh cards i got ovr the years. but of late, it is just one or two... the joy of getting a snail mail.. miss those days now...

Madhumita said...

Hey ... missed out on quite a few of your posts! Are those the cards that your 10 year old designed? He's definitely done a much better job than I would.
Happy birthday Suma (belated I'm sure). Can't wait to receive precious tokens like these from my kid when he's older.

paisley said...

so true... much of the pleasure of picking up the mail has been lost.....

Jaya said...

:) Great post. The way we all miss snail mail, I think it's gonna come back... :) Post man used to play a important role earlier, he would know everyone in a family. DO you remember the cute Dhara ad? It think it is the postman who gets the boy back, right?

Sandhya said...

hi Suma....

I may be wrong but i dont think dat d pleasure of receiving a greeting card via post has been decreased coz of modernisation techniques...

but i love the change. I think we can made a special folders of such snail mails/msgs and keep them as a treasure...

Prats said...

oh yeah.....I used to love getting those cards by post...I still send out a few for new years...tho it has gotten a lil fewer now.....
but I still covet the card my dad gives me every birthday, with his shagun of 100 rupee note....when he changed the amount....we got back to him saying no...it should remain 100 rs...

Vinesh said...

i cannot believe i was part of that active snailmail generation... and enjoyed it as much..

and now i ask myself why.. and know the answer. i have no...... time :-)

Compassion Unlimitted said...

Well said and absolutely nostalgic..
Post cards,envelops..do they all still exist..whatever left has been taken over by courier guys..nicely said Suma
TC
CU

Preethi said...

Every year i feel determined to send snail mails during New Year! But i don't. Forgetfulness, laziness whatever u call it has crept in. I remember the time when my dad used to get the cards printed for New Year and Shankaranthi. Those were the times!

anthonynorth said...

Ah, I'm missing the taste of stamp gum on the tongue.
They were marvellous days.

Preethi said...

very nice.. and so true about all the change.. its been ages since I last received a hand written later!Can I see the card.. would love to see the love and effort both the kids put into it!! :)

Padma said...

hey, so true, I remember making tons of cards for family and friends as a child too. Those simple pleasures! one card i sent to my newly wed cousin and her husband for new year when I was ten is still remembered by them :)

You write very well. Its a joy to read your posts.

rayshma said...

wow! those are home-made cards???? i think i've found another pro of having a kid! :D
it's been ages since i recd anything in my mail... :(

Anonymous said...

One or two of my regular readers and I have recently started writing to each other - hand written letters. It's wonderful, and I hope more people rediscover what has become a lost art in recent years.

Keshi said...

yep the Times hv certainly changed and the ppl too!

but I still love hand-written letters n post cards...

Keshi.

Shruti said...

when everybody sent cards earlier, what was the special thing? now when everyone sends ecards, snail mail is special.. :-)

WhatsInAName said...

These are indeed changed times... sigh :(
I miss those days too... and like you said hanging the cards was something really had loved. Too much has taken away all the fun!

Romila said...

This post reminds me of the joy during my hostel days when the postman comes and we all surround him for our respective letters.
How we miss those days now!

Guruprasad said...

so true!

i remember i had a pen-friend when i was in school and i had to wait for at least a month after i sent my letter before i got the response.

but those letters used to be cherished. i think i would still have those letters tucked away somewhere :)

aMus said...

@ Guru...
ohh yes! pen-pals...., you brought some memories rushing back...

@ romila...
I'm sure the postman must be missing that too...

@ WIAN...
:) That used to be our precious display treasure...

@ shruti..
snail mail 'is' special....if only you GET one...:(

@ keshi...
so true...i still chereish teh leeters sent by my granfathere...now he too dictates his e-mails..:P

@ keith...
that's wonderful, keith...and like you said, I too hope people rediscover this pleasure...

@ rayshma...
no, that's not done by my son...tho he's quite good...:D

@ padma...thank you for your kind words... why not restart sending handme cards?...i'm sure you would make those close to you very happy!!!

@ preethi...
I will post the pic soon...i promise...

@ anthony...
:)

aMus said...

@ dame...
sigh...weren't they indeed wonderful...but we always start it again...can't we?

@ --Xh--
I too have a box of wonderful written memories...and they travel all over with me...

@ madhumita...
no...but it was quite good...must see if i can get a hold of one now...

Thanks for teh b'day wishes...and wait a few years, R will surprise you one day!!!

@ paisley...
ahh yes! the anticipation, the excitement to receive something by post is something to be experienced!

@ joy...
yeah, the post man used to be a regular visitor..now we see the poor guy only on Diwali/Holi for teh 'Baksheesh'..:D

@ sandhya..
if you receive a snail mail, then can you experience the pleasure of receiving... haven't people almost stopped sending cards/letetrs?

@ prats...
that is a very special card indeed!!!
Yeah it has got less, hasn't it...perhaps it because things are so easily available on the net

@ vinesh...
lack of time, busy...all excuses :)

@ cu...
soon i guess teh kids would be learning about the postal service like we do about the steam engine...in history :D

@ preethi...
yeah i remember too...every diwlai/new year...the whole family would sit togeteher writing the addressses on the envelopes...it used to be fun...*wistful*

Anonymous said...

Hey sorry!

Wondered how I missed to comment:( Firstly, Bee-layted birthday my lovely TA!!:)

Next, I think you're bachcha parties are too too too cute... Whats more awesome than having these lil personalised gifts of love, no??

I used to make stuff for my folks... until I figured money can buy symbols of love:( [My dad still has the stuff I made him light years ago:)] I do miss paper cards:)Sigh!

Vidhya Rajesh said...

So so very true .... I miss those wonderful days of paper cards - shopping for one was just as much pleasure as getting one was...
Strangely I have seen that in the US, people still send and receive paper cards a lot. This country is supposed to be the "more" advanced one and yet ppl (not all - but many) have not given up this one "old" tradition..