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Amazed and inspired by the everyday writing skills and literary knowledge of renowned historical figures, including T. S. Elliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Washington, Henry David Thoreau, etc., which were quite evident in their written correspondence, I started to develop a keen nostalgia for the old days of the Internet, when our tool of communication was merely an email. Indeed, having pen friends at that time was as popular as being present on today’s social media. You can thus probably imagine my excitement when I, by chance, found Slowly in the App Store several months ago.
As an aspiring writer whose aim is to communicate with the world his myriad of ideas in the form of short stories and screenplays, I believed Slowly would give me a chance to hone my humble writing skills, focus my efforts, and hopefully receive the vital element of any considerable achievement: Motivation. The Slowly community, however, swept me off my feet and is yet to bring me back down to the solid ground!
Apart from very kind words of encouragement and genuine interest in my work on the part of different pen pals, I have received offers of support time and again and, most importantly perhaps, my Slowly friends have never failed to inspire me! One particular experience in this regard stands out:
Several days ago, I received an incoming letter notification from another country. As I opened her profile, I found that the sender, whom I will not name here — since I am eagerly awaiting her reply and do not want to cast a hex on the entire thing — is twelve years younger than me. At that time, I unconsciously lowered my expectations as, given the age gap, I thought we would not have much in common. Some hours passed until her letter arrived, and even more time went by until I decided to open her message just before going to bed.
The words danced a mesmerizing routine in front of my eyes. The letter was neither short nor long, yet it kept me transfixed for at least half an hour. She had tastefully decided to dispose of the usual introductory note, running her words instead through the mouth of an actor trying to perform a scene. The sentences were simple enough, though they masterfully managed to paint a vivid picture in my head. It was a letter adorned with lights, shadows, tunes, a setting, and an overall aura of life.
I read the letter again and again, honestly feeling put to shame! My prejudgment regarding her being younger than me could not have been more inaccurate, and, most significantly, her creative attitude and outside-the-box thinking truly flooded my mind. I had not, up to that point, received such a unique piece of correspondence, and it sure made its mark on my personal experience.
I spent several days thinking how to answer such a letter, and, inspired by her genius, I luckily came up with a sizable reply, which, if I may say, turned out pretty decent. Nevertheless, the inspiration she gave me with her simple words but complicated thoughts will, I am quite positive, remain with me for a very long time!
Meaningful conversations revolving around any topic can most certainly lead to personal growth and character development, and people, no matter who they are or how unfamiliar they appear, can reach across a world of difference and leave their mark.
