The owners of a local tea store are trying to bring back the art of the handwritten letter.
Mother and daughter, Cindy-Lea Stephenson and Taryn Stephenson, co-owners of T’s Once Upon A Tea Leaf, have joined The Sunday Letter Project, a project started by a couple in England to encourage people to take some time every Sunday, to slow down and thoughtfully pen a letter to a person they do not know a world away.
Their store is now an official British Columbia Letter Keeper partner for The Sunday Letter Project – a growing number of stores or post boxes, connecting pen pals across the world.
“I grew up in a time when letters were how we stayed close to people and writing to pen pals felt like a mysterious adventure,” explained Cindy-Lea about why they wanted to take part in the project.
“This project brings that feeling back. This project gives our community a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves, and that’s a beautiful thing,” she said.
The idea is simple. Write an introduction letter to a future pen pal. Do not give out personal details like your address or phone number, you can even use a fake name or keep your name anonymous if you would like. Put a stamp on the envelope and bring the letter to T’s. Using the store’s address as the return address, you will then mail the letter to another Letter Keeper store in another part of the world.
First time letter writers are advised to note on the envelope that theirs is an introduction letter.
Then, when the letter arrives at its destination Letter Keeper shop, it will be kept safe until a future pen pal walks into that store, chooses your letter, and writes you back.
Or, introduction letters will also find their way to T’s and people are welcome to go to the store and see if there are any to reply to.
Once an introduction has been made, letter writers just have to check back at the store for their replies.
“Honestly, it felt like being invited into a secret society of handwritten notes and kind intentions. It made my heart flutter and couldn’t resist,” noted Taryn.
“I’ve always believed that stories connect us more deeply than transactions in the shop ever could. The Sunday Letter Project felt like an invitation to slow down and remember that somewhere out there, a stranger might be waiting for the exact words you have to offer,” she added.
Letters are put into a simple white post box at the store and the red flag will be raised when there are letters to be picked up in the box.
The project is free to be a part of aside from paying for postage.
However, the Stephenson’s are reminding those who would like to participate to refrain from giving out personal details and never to accept requests for money.
Currently there are 10,722 letter writers worldwide taking part in the project including from the: United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.
For more information go to: https://www.thesundayletterproject.com/
T’s Once Upon a Tea Leaf is located at: 11970 224 St., Maple Ridge.