Penmanship

Penmanship used to be far more important than it is today.   It's lucky for me, that it is no longer seen as a sign of your personality and culture.   We use the impersonal type of email and can easily send digital images of ourselves and what we're doing (a picture worth a thousand words?)  

My penmanship is pretty awful.   Always has been.  I tend to grab the pencil or pen in a death grip that prevents flow and grace.   Conversely, with my piano learned hand and finger coordination, I'm a speedy typist.

My mother was a 6th grade teacher and so appalled as my horrible penmanship developed.   My guess is that this was an almost personal affront to her.   So I had to spend many sessions correcting my grip, and making the circles and other smooth movements that were to morph into pleasing penmanship.   All to no avail.  I did the work, but never learned the lessons.   Win some, lose some....for both my mom and me.   

At the personal level, I'm glad that my fast typing is an asset and that I am am not held back by my poor penmanship.  Still, I miss the enforced slowness, style, and expressiveness of good handwriting.   I also associate gracious handwriting with gracious communication and maybe even actions.   I've seen business letters by my father-in-law that flow in a beautiful style, but also filled with gracious and generous words.  That's something this and future generations miss.