Cursive Writing…

Why? Why!? Why is our culture turning its back on this art form? 

I don’t understand it!

I love the feel of a fine pen moving across the paper as it captures my mind’s thoughts and transforms them. It’s a very satisfying feeling. It opens the imagination.

I’m not talking about the scribbled shopping list, or the messy reminder on the post-it note that was written in a hurry. I’m talking about true thoughts put to paper, perhaps in a journal that you use each day. Your family will cherish the thoughts you shared in your journal someday. They show children and grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) a side of you they may never have known, your history, your growth, your life. Every person I know who has inherited a set of journals has been extremely grateful for the memories encased within those sheets of paper.

As a writer, I have many different pens and various types of paper. Finding the right combination for the project I am working on is important to me. When the pen flows freely, so do the character’s thoughts, the scenes, the plot twists. Yes, it can get messy. There is a lot of editing going on as I write. Many strike-throughs, a lot of words crammed in between lines, and related ideas squished into the margins for another chapter. Taking the time to do this – in cursive – brings the pages to life for me, and allows me to create in written form what I have imagined so I can share it with others. There is power in it.

Why is there power in it? The act of physically writing things down on paper is associated with more robust brain activity in multiple areas and better memory recall. Yes, there is science behind this, and personal satisfaction.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210319080820.htm 

I frequently ask my grandchildren if they are learning cursive writing at school and it seems a bit hit and miss. I keep telling them that any note I leave for them will always be written in cursive. It will be my secret code, and if they can’t read it, they just might miss out on something special. After all, how many hieroglyphics and symbols are considered “dead” languages because people can’t decipher them? Yes, maybe it is just a receipt on that ancient clay tablet, but what if it’s directions to something incredible? We won’t know until we learn the secret code. Let’s make it simple for future archaeologists! Keep cursive writing alive!

contributed by Melody Lowe