Four ILY readers shared the letters they kept with them, buried within both their belongings and their hearts:
I.
Dear Mya:
“I love you all jokes aside and [you’re] one of the best and most beautiful/talented females I have ever met. I pray that you stay that way and don’t ever change cause that drive is what got my attention in the first place. Mya [you’re] a very special person and I need you to not hear it or read it. I want you to understand you have a huge heart that needs to be handled delicately and I want you to be the one to take it with the hands of care and place on a shelf no other man can reach but I don’t want to admit it. I’m nervous babe. So just give me a lil time to get right and I’ll give this “us” a try. I’m not saying wait forever. Do whatever it is that you do and when I’m good and you are still available I’m coming running. If [you’re] not, then I’ll wait.” —Anonymous
II.
“Dearest Jessica,
You are drop-dead gorgeous. When you are wearing your adorable glasses I find it impossible not to smile. You brighten up my day just like the sun illuminates the morning sky. Your eyes are like gorgeous oceans that I get lost in every time. I gaze into them. You are honestly the prettiest, most amazing girl in the world and are a queen a goddess amongst mere mortals. You are the love of my life and I couldn’t be happier.
Yours always and forever,
Christopher”
III.
“Dear [you], thank you. And that’s my one sentence it took my two years to think of, talk about a long time. I love you and there are so many reasons why. You are an amazing, amazing man. I prayed for you and this very relationship before I even knew you [were] who I prayed for. Let me tell you, God delivered much more in you than I could ever ask for. And you KNOW I don’t talk about God much, so you know I’m deep in my feelings rn. You have taught me what it means to be soft. You have taught me what it means to love and be in love. You taught me how to be kind. I really can’t take the praise for all of that. You taught me how to laugh wholeheartedly and to give. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know where I’d be. I don’t know how I’d be making it through life. I really don’t know how I did it before you. It’s something about you that brings a new perspective into my world. With you, I realized everything I thought I knew about me, the world, love is just wrong.
I remember watching this show and this lady was talking about how she used to see green blobs everywhere and she thought it was normal and everyone saw the same blobs until she got glasses. And when she got glasses, she realized those weren’t blobs they were really trees and she realized that the way she say the world was all wrong and it changed her perspective on everything. That’s what you are to me. You’re my glasses and yes it’s not my greatest metaphor lol but it’s true.
The way I was experiencing life and love before you was a shame. I really never knew I could love someone the way I love you. I have never in my life loved someone the way I love you. And loving you has taught me to be soft, to be a better cousin, sister, daughter. You are the reason I changed from who I was two years ago, you. I never knew I could be so selfless. For you I will do anything. I respect you so much in all the roles you play: brother, cousin, friend, son, boyfriend. You taught me to do for others through the actions you take. You teach me everyday and you don’t even realize it. You taught me to be comfortable.. You know parts of me I don’t even know and I trust you with it. You taught me to trust. I gave you my heart two years ago and I would give you it every single day for the rest of forever because you are the greatest decision I have ever made. You are my soulmate.” —Anonymous
IV.
“Dear Nick, I know you’re absolutely furious at me, and honestly I’m not the happiest with you or in general, but since I’m not drinking on Slope Day, and am actually capable of coherent thought unlike last night, I decided to write you an email. I’m not texting you or calling you because you told me to stay away, and besides, I make more sense in writing than I generally do in person. But anyway, you should hear or rather read me out, because it could be to your advantage and after however long it’s been that we’ve known each other, you can take five minutes to hear my side of it…” —Anonymous
They are a great treasure. Sometimes though the passion and the intimacy remains just between the exchangers and for privacy are duly removed. My folks were married 50 years, but my dad had my mum burn their letters after they married. I think he wanted it to remain private between them. On a different note, I destroyed my letters from my ex — I have no idea if he destroyed mine, but since he long since married someone else — just presume that he did as well for logistical reasons.
Great article!
These had me crying like a baby.
Love is so beautiful.
I like to write about love to at bybriakiara.com.
have you read Stoker’s “Dracula?” It’s just love letters between Mina and Jonathan , but it’s spooky
Very good article….love letters are always touching…always emotive!