I used to love the act of writing, and had excellent cursive. Somewhere along the line, I decided that some cursive conventions are just plain too silly and time consuming: a scrolly capital "F" or a cap "Q" that looks like an effeminate "2"
Any more, my penmanship is a cross between printing and cursive that gets down on the paper quickly, yet still scans easily and is quite legible. I get as many, or more, compliments on my penmanship now as when I was young .
I attended Catholic schools where cursive was drilled endlessly, but I've refused to impose the same on my children. I have, however, stressed legibility. If you have respect for your audience and your thoughts, why wouldn't you strive to ensure that your message is easy to read? I work with some of the most atrocious writers and spellers on the planet. I'm constantly making them read their own notes, often without success. Quite frustrating!
QW has exquisite cursive, but I can hardly stand to watch her write as she laboriously forms each character. I love to read her notes, though. She puts as much love into the writing as she does in her thoughts.
Handwriting is becoming a lost art. I have met very few young people who care to make their writing legible. They don't seem to feel the need, since they have so many communication options available. Spelling and grammar are endangered talents, as well (but those subjects aren't on the table in this thread!).