writing letters of love

There are few times in our life that expressing ourselves on paper can be so rewarding as writing a romantic love letter. It is a declaration that we love someone both physically and spiritually in the highest regard. There is no stronger emotion than love and to have that experience and to be able to share it with written words can be by far one of the greatest accomplishments in our lives.

After forty years of marriage to the one love of my life, I can attest to the overwhelming passion of a love letter received. Be it given to celebrate a joyful occasion such as an anniversary or Valentine's Day or just as a special reminder of how we are so grateful to have our beloved in our life. Whatever the timing a love letter is timeless, it is like a stained glass window bringing the light of love into our souls.

So for those of you that are madly in love and want to express it in your own words I dedicate this article. I hope my experience in love and writing can serve to help you in writing the perfect love letter.

In this digital age most people find it easy to send messages through text or email with an occasional video attached. As these are fine for spontaneous communication they don't reach all of our senses that connect us to our physical being and that of our loved ones. The feel of the paper, the residual scent of perfume or after shave, the well placed hand written words, the energy of love held within those words, the knowing that this beautiful letter was written so carefully with only you in mind. That is what love letters are about. They are forever attributes to ones love for another, they are keepsakes to be read over and over again, they are cherished words coming from the heart!

So why write a love letter? It shows you really are in love. It allows you to fully express all of those feelings you may have difficulty talking about. Writing allows you to focus on what is in your heart.

I put this first because by choosing your stationary you are committing yourself to the actual writing of your letter. The paper you write on can be as important as the words you write. It is the stage for proclaiming your love. It sets the tone for how serious you are about your feelings. A beautiful piece of stationary shows that you really care!

You may never have thought about the paper you have written on as anything more than something that is available when you needed it. But think about this, the love letter that you are about to write may be cherished for the next 50 or more years. It is a testimony to your love, a record of you being a part of a beautiful relationship, a keepsake. So choose your paper carefully! And...remember the matching envelope.

Readying Yourself To Write

It can be difficult to just sit down and write a letter, let alone a love letter. Even the most proficient writer can get the jitters when confronted with what to write to the person they most love. So follow this bit of advice, find a nice quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Close your eyes and focus your thoughts on your beloved. Envision their face, then their smile, bring to life all of the little things about them that make your heart go wild. Discover within yourself all the reasons why you love this person so much. Recall the first time you met, relive the moment you realized that you were in love, focus on the details and acknowledge the emotions that you are feeling right now.

Putting Your Thoughts Together

Now that you are primed to start writing, take a few minutes to put your thoughts together on scratch paper. You may have to rewrite your letter several times before you are ready for the final draft. Take your time, love rarely happens instantaneously, neither does writing letters.

Jot down all those wondrous things that make your love so unique.

...recall the moment you fell in love, where you were, what you were doing,

your thoughts of how beautiful/handsome she/he was.

...explain how your life is so much fuller and more wonderful with her/him a part of it.

...list the many ways you are alike and the many things you have in common.

...recount special moments you have shared.

...list the attributes that set her/him apart from everyone else.

...reveal how much you miss them when you're apart.

...acknowledge that life without them is unimaginable.

...describe how complete they make you feel.

...let her/him know how your love grows richer each day.

...quote a favorite poem or a song lyric that describe your feelings, giving credit to the

originating author.

Be honest with your thoughts, be yourself, don't try to impress her/him, just be true. Love in itself can be the most magnificent experience in life. Just by acknowledging your love in a letter makes it even more so.

When writing your opening salutation you are setting the tone of the letter. A love letter needs more than just "Dear Joan", this greeting is used in commonplace communications and your letter is special. Instead pick one that gives a romantic hint at what is to come. And try to always include your love's first name making it a very personal.

A few suggestions for your consideration are:

...My Dearest Angela,

...My Beloved Brad,

...Sarah, my love,

...My Darling Ron,

...My Beautiful Roseann,

...To Bob...the light of my life,

These may sound a bit corny, but it's okay, love allows us to be a bit old time romantic!

Begin your love letter by telling your beloved your reasons for writing. You want her/him to know right away that this is a love letter, a very special note just for them. An example of this follows:

"My thoughts of you have taken over every minute of my day, I am so madly in love with you my heart is ready to burst. There are not enough words to adequately describe the feelings I have, I just want to stand up and yell "I Love You" over and over again!"

Let your love pour out into your words. Express your emotions, dreams, and vulnerability.

The main body of your love letter should highlight the reasons why you fell in love. Take your written notes and organize those you wish to include into your romantic journal. Begin with a shared memory of how you met expressing the emotions that you felt in her/his presence.

" I remember when I first saw you, you were standing in line at the bank, so beautiful in that stunning blue dress. Then like magic you turned and smiled at me, I knew immediately that I had to meet you. I tried to say something cool but no words would come out, I was like a bobble headed buffoon, turning redder by the second. But then you softly giggled and saved the moment with a gracious introduction and I knew right then I was the luckiest guy in the world! I had met the woman of my dreams!"

Move from your shared memory to the present with a line like:

"And here we are today, more than two years since that fateful meeting, and you still make my heart beat faster whenever I see you."

Share with your beloved all the things that you love about her/him. The cute way he winks, the beautiful dimples she has when she smiles, the way they laugh, their amusing ways in which they make you laugh, how his kiss fills your heart with butterflies, how her touch electrifies every atom in your body, all the reasons why you love them as much as you do. Turn this list into a tribute to them, a lasting testimony of your love.

Express how your life has changed since they became a part of yours.

"I didn't know how empty my life really was until I met you, you are the sunshine in my days and the moonlight in my nights. I can't begin to tell you how lucky I feel to always have you by my side."

Reaffirm your love and commitment.

"My love for you grows greater with every breath I take, you are my best friend and soul mate and I will love you until the end of time."

Summarize your love with a few everlasting words. It can be as simple as "My love for you will never end" or "I give you my heart and soul". Or you may decide to recite a poem or lyrics from a favorite love song. Whatever you choose remember that these few words will be precious to your beloved and will be revered for years to come.

Many writers find that once they have written their first draft that putting it away for a couple of hours or a couple of days makes it easier to edit it into a final copy. When your thoughts are fresh and you feel renewed the final touches to your letter will shine with added passion.

Take your time to write your final copy. Use a good pen, your best penmanship skills and check your spelling. If you make a mistake, start over again on a new piece of paper. You have to work at making a lasting relationship and that goes for writing a love letter too. First impressions are important!

Once completed read it one more time to check for any errors. Carefully fold the letter and place it into a neatly hand addressed envelope that matches your stationery. Use a romantic themed stamp and (for an added touch of romance) place the stamp upside down on the envelope. It is an old custom denoting that you love the recipient...very sweet and endearing.

Give the envelope a kiss and a smile then send it on its way! Let love work its magic.