At some point in 1993, my sister went abroad for a year. We had always been close, so I wanted to keep communicating, and I started writing her. And when she came back I didn't stop. We didn't stop for decades! I have several ring binders full of letters. But then I went off sick with RSI, and didn't want to use my hands. Writing letters is difficult without hands! And we sometimes use more modern applications, but that requires typing. Unless you don't type, but record your voice! I still haven't figured out how to dictate in any other language than English to my phone, so if I am contacting people in any other language, I have to use voice messages. And I had been dictating a bit in English to her, but that felt weird, as that's not the language we normally communicate in. But the voice messages turned out to be a rather good idea!
I haven't sent her a letter since I signed off sick. But I have sent her more voice messages than you can shake a stick at! And these messages are more ephemeral. I won't put these in a ring binder. But there is something quite personal about hearing someone's voice. So even though I am certain I'll restart the writing at some point, because it lends itself to lengthy ponderings, I quite like this new habit. We can't travel these days, so we can't physically be together, but what we clearly can do is make more use of modern communications! As far as I am concerned, these voice messages will stay.
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