I've always thought that love letters are underrated. It might just be the tiny romantic in me screaming out loud, but I'm sure there are others out there who feels the same. There is something innocent and sweet about them. You know, back in those days when you were to shy to tell someone that they made your hands sticky and your heart beat faster and you could tell them in a letter: those were the days. I rather prefer the honest approach, than the we're just friends or I'm really not that into you (but I am) approach that most of us live by these days (even I do.)
My first experience with love letters: exchanged between me and a boy called Bernt, who lived 10 hours further south by car from Flora, Norway. I "met" him at an online-chat and until this day I've never met him face to face. I was 11 and I thought that I loved him. Really. That's how simple love is when you're young. At that age, growing up in Norway, I was oblivious to the dangers of pedophiles, and lucky I ended up with an innocent boy from down south.
Unlike now, it was exciting to check my mailbox during the Bernt-era. He used to send me photo booth pictures and letters drenched in perfume (I'm sure I did the same in return.)
Post-Bernt, I got cards from boyfriends, but really never proper love letters until I got myself tangled up in long-distance relationships. Love letters are on the short list of benefits when you're going long distance, and one of the only reasons worth having one (except - the obligatory travelling and the memories of course.) My favourite was a book of letters that alternated between me and my latest boyfriend.
Post-long distance and 2010, I'm glad to hear that love letters are doing a comeback. As a writer, you appreciate honest words and someone who expresses their feelings, if not black on white then face to face. We don't get easily impressed by 'hi I'm Jeff, Jeremy, Vincent (whatever your name is,) what's your name?' Maybe I'm being to demanding, but we should all be a little bit more inventive. I know that the time of courting is over, and that love letters don't travel 2000 miles by horse or on a camel through the desert and all of that, but sometimes, even what you already know is nice to get on a piece of paper. Something to read when you're old and don't remember what was said word by word.
I'm not saying that we should all just go ahead and express our love. But, if you have a suspicion that what you feel might be mutual or you already have a girlfriend or boyfriend and you want to be a little bit original - then why not? We don't need valentines day. Do we?
For some love letter inspiration, check out how the famous did it: http://www.theromantic.com/LoveLetters/main.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment