Happy Hump Day!
So last night I asked my friend Aaron to give me a topic to blog about. I can't think of anything except my vacation, so I had a bit of writer's block. Aaron suggested I write about love letters. My question to him? "Do people even write love letters anymore?" Good question. He said that maybe I can explore the reasons why people don't write them anymore...like do they think it makes them feel vulnerable? Is it even necessary anymore. Is it a lost art?
To me, it seems that now with technology being the way it is, people TEXT their feelings, or IM their affection...maybe even Twitter their undying love. It all seems so impersonal now. There is no more "love" or "letters"...just text, sex and innuendo. Not saying NO ONE writes love letters anymore, but when was the last time you wrote a love letter?
The last person I know who wrote a love letter was my sister Nicole. Last summer she and the kids went to visit her husband's family in Morocco all by themselves - without him. She was there for a month, and she said she wrote him love letters everyday. Being apart from him for so long gave her a chance to miss him, to remember the reasons why she appreciates him, and to fall in love with him all over again. I thought that was the most romantic, loving thing I'd heard in a long time. It gave me faith that love isn't something that has to become stagnant or stale. Love is what you make it. True love, unconditional love, lives and breathes.
So, not really sure how to write a love letter? It's been a while since I've done this myself, especially since I usually write poems for my loved ones as they serve as my muse. But if the only thing you write for your boo is a "honey-do" list, then let me give you some suggestions.
Fake it - remember this scene from Sex and The City?
Later in the movie, when Big was trying to win Carrie back, he retyped all the great love letters from that book and emailed them to her. And when they finally got married, he whispered in her ear, "ever thine, ever mine, ever ours."
My point? If you're not the lovey dovey, sappy or creative type, then find some great love poems or letters online and write them down. You might want to find some nice stationary or blank-inside cards to add a special touch. You don't need to be a lyrical genius to convey your feelings. He or she will appreciate the thought and the effort.
If you DO decide to write your own words from the heart...
Keep it simple. Write a poem or a letter that lists all the things your partner is – and isn’t. Make them things that have meaning just for the two of you, however silly or small it may seem. You can make it really funny if he/she loves your sense of humor. Just because it's funny or silly doesn't mean it's any less sentimental or heartfelt. They can be simple little things you jot down on a Post-It note for them to find...so long as it's sincere.
What are the surprising things you love about your partner? Have you learned anything recently about them that you never knew before? Write these down and thank him or her for being so unique. Writing these things down may also help you to remember why you fell in love with them in the first place, and allow you to appreciate the small ways that they bring meaning to your life.
Write With Passion. In the middle of work and family pressures, it can be very easy to forget just how important passion is. If the spark has flickered out, and you and your partner really haven’t communicated apart from via shopping lists and random text messages, then take some time to write down just how sexy you think he or she is. It doesn't have to be raunchy or overtly sexual (even though notes like that can be appreciated too), but just a smoldering reminder that you still want and desire your sweetie. Most times people just want to feel wanted.
Feel free to add some helpful tips for writing love letters if you have any. While you're at it, be thankful that you have a loved one to write TO. Really sit and think about what that person means to you and how they make you feel. And then, in a moment like this - an extraordinarily ordinary moment when you're glad that you're with that person every day in every way - write it down...and then give it to them. Or better yet...read it to them face to face. Love letters made easy :)
-b
p.s. I'm on vacation after today! I'll still post my Random Thoughts Thursday thoughts for tomorrow, I just won't be able to read yours and chime in. But please, keep the party going in my absence. I may even have some guest bloggers to keep you entertained on Friday and Tuesday. Have a FABULOUS holiday weekend and be safe! It's the unofficial start of summer! Woo-Hoo!
