The Daily Times

Once upon a time, a person’s individuality was uniquely expressed through writing with pen and ink on a blank page. You can tell a bit about the traits of the writer — or so I’ve been told — by the loops and slants and placement of letters.

Years ago, I succumbed to one of those ads promising to analyze my handwriting. I was curious, so I sent the obligatory $19.95 or whatever it was to a handwriting “expert” who would tell me everything I needed to know about myself through a few words scribbled on a page.

I can’t remember a lot of the details now. I do remember showing the results of the analysis to a friend and having her say I was described more like a faithful dog than anything else, only more stubborn.

Well, at least they got the stubborn part right. The female dog analogy, if you ask the right persons under the proper circumstances, probably fits, too ...

But that is beside the point, which is that Monday is National Handwriting Day.

The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association sponsors National Handwriting Day every Jan. 23 in conjunction with John Hancock’s birthday. Hancock, if you recall your history, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence and is famous for his large, bold signature.

The purpose of the day is to alert the public to the importance of handwriting. According to WIMA, a national trade association covering the $4.5-billion industry of pen, pencil and marker manufacturers, “National Handwriting Day is a chance for all of us to re-explore the purity and power of handwriting.”

I checked the WIMA website (http://www.wima.org) to find out more about this day.

“There’s something poetic about grasping a writing instrument and feeling it hit the paper as your thoughts flow through your fingers and pour into words,” I read. “So, the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association (WIMA) suggests you take advantage of National Handwriting Day on Jan. 23 and use a pen or a pencil to rekindle that creative feeling through a handwritten note, poem, letter or journal entry.”

It’s true that the use of computers, faxes and emails used in communication nowadays do lack the personal touch of a handwritten note. The different fonts are still not as unique or artistic as a message written by hand, and handwriting is a way to reveal details about the writer that can’t come through the impersonal printed page. Seriously, now, think about it: Would you rather have a love letter from your potential soulmate in Times New Roman? Or would you be more apt to swoon over a handwritten epistle that declares his undying love?

Seriously, as a family history seeker, some of the most thrilling finds are the letters and Bible records written by the hands of my ancestors. In older family Bibles, just look at the entries in the births and deaths and marriages. You may see the penmanship of your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, even great-great-grandparents. To touch those pages — or the pages of old letters — is to almost touch the ones who came before you. It’s awe-inspiring.

I have to agree with David H. Baker, WIMA’s executive director. He said, “Though computers and email play an important role in our lives, nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word.”

I think I’ll celebrate Monday by handwriting some notes. The recipients may not be able to read them, but it’s the thought that counts. Right?

Linda Albert is Sunday Life editor and a staff writer for The Daily Times. Her column runs every Sunday in the Life section. You may contact her at 981-1168 or (linda.albert@thedailytimes.com)

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