Letter Writing, Global Flights, Thoreau's Wisdom
Three Point Thursday
Happy Three Point Thursday!
This week’s edition features my thoughts on hand-written letters, shocking statistics on the airline industry, and an inspiring line from one of the great American philosophers.
Make writing letters great again.
Last week, while I was in Italy, I wrote a few letters to my girlfriend. I did so because she is the best, and deserves to receive romantic letters written from the Sorrento coast. I also believe that in general, hand-written letters are one of the most meaningful things human beings can exchange with each other. Another good example is that every year, during Christmas time, I write one to my father, mother, older brother, younger brother, and grandparents. In our age of digital communication by default, reading a thoughtful letter someone wrote you has an especially profound emotional effect.
I just want to fly.
One of my unpopular opinions is that I love the whole process of air travel. Having random conversations with strangers, gazing out the window, watching movies on the seat back, I soak it all up. Also, I remain in perpetual amazement that humanity even mastered flight in the first place, and at such a scale: according to OAG Aviation, the average number of commercial flights per day worldwide is 103,770. Moreover, from December 2024 to now, there have been approximately 20,000,000 scheduled flights. I think too many people already take crazy numbers like this for granted. Hedonic adaptation, I suppose. In reality, this reflects a spectacular level of technological genius. Despite the common inconveniences of travel, and rare heartbreaking tragedies, global aviation is nothing short of an impressive miracle in my eyes.
Henry David Thoreau, Walden.
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
Your letters were the most beautiful words I’ve read
I agree with you about handwritten letters. I have just started to send my grandsons cards with a short note with stickers enclosed for their enjoyment. I'm hoping they appreciate the thought as they get older.
I also couldn't agree with you more about travel. I love the process of going to the airport early buying a coffee and watching all of the other travelers. And of course, I talk to anyone who looks willing to engage in conversation.