Mabel welcomes Alec's cousin for visit
In our age of digital and instant communication, it is worth asking what traces of our daily lives will remain for future generations. Technology allows us to stay constantly connected, yet one wonders whether our emails and texts will survive another century.
For many years, exchanging letters was a cherished routine. Writing meant slowing down, reflecting, and communicating with care. Receiving a letter, especially from someone far away, brought genuine excitement and connection.
Among those who deeply valued correspondence were Alexander Graham Bell and his family. Their thousands of preserved letters form a vivid record of their lives and relationships, offering insight into the man who changed human communication forever.
Born in Scotland in 1847, Alexander Graham Bell led an extraordinary life. Influenced by his father, Melville, a noted professor of elocution, and his deaf mother, Eliza, he was shaped by personal loss—the deaths of his brothers Melville and Edward from consumption—and by his marriage to his deaf pupil, Mabel Hubbard. Together, their letters chronicle both personal challenges and profound achievements.
From Washington, Mabel wrote to her mother-in-law, informing her of the arrival of Alec’s cousin, Mary, from Brantford.
Author’s Summary
A reflection on how letter writing captured the personal and historical legacy of Alexander Graham Bell’s family, linking personal communication to timeless human connection.