As I write this letter to you, I cannot help but think we might all benefit from the lost art of sitting down to write a letter to another person.

In today’s pace, you might tell me that letter writing is hopelessly outdated, but taking the time to write down your thoughts always offers an experience with which modern technology cannot quite compare.

No tweet or status update can compare to the art of sharing one’s true thoughts, deepest concerns, praise or even grievances, for that matter. I’ll get back to that last point in a moment.

A good handwritten letter is a bit of a creative act. We writers appreciate the tactile pleasure of it all, but even the non-writer knows that writing a letter involves a deliberate act of exposure, or vulnerability maybe, because handwriting opens a window to the soul in a way that cyber communication can never do.

We may all agree that email is a wonderful invention. After all, it links people across the world instantly. That is amazing, but it is by its nature transitory, and it lacks the spark of character and originality that I suspect only handwriting can provide.

In business, I have found that the handwritten letter is even more of an archaic relic of the past. We are all hurdling forward with such urgency as if we actually believe that should we pause to jot down a brief handwritten letter of gratitude to a colleague or client, old or new, the whole world would suddenly tilt on its axis and come to a screeching halt.

What if it’s quite the opposite? What if the friction and tension building up in this crazy world of ours is a result of not greasing the wheels with a little of the soothing salve that comes from knowing we are appreciated, and that we acknowledge we should appreciate others – and let them know it?

The Spanish-born American philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I find this thought interesting and believe that looking back on one’s letters can be a valuable tool in mapping where you’ve been, as well as where you are going.

I look back at past issues of NSIDE as we approach our sixth anniversary in San Antonio, and am reminded that we have covered lots of ground, met countless interesting and engaging community leaders and at times, hurdled forward with an intensity we thought necessary to break barriers and blaze new trails.

There may have been times when we forgot to pause, come up for air and simply say thank you to our readers and our clients. 

Santayana’s quote rings true on that point, but if repeating the kind of success that NSIDE Publications has had, with all of the wonderful experiences it has afforded us as well as our clients, I suppose we can accept a few bumps in the road. We hope we have infused our business and connection to you with that special spark of character and originality you might find within a letter from a dear friend.

Which brings me back to my earlier point. Friends, whether you want to share your true thoughts, your deepest concerns, your praise or even your grievances, write us a letter (or email if you must). We’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for your continued support of NSIDE. We’re introducing you to some really special people, places, organizations and ideas in this issue, and we truly hope you enjoy it.

Happy reading!