Waiting for the Handwritten Love Letter
You might consider any handwritten love letter to be old-fashioned in this digital age. And it may be so. And so-called old-fashioned ways of life are more yearned for, more needed now than people realize. Instead of sending a thoughtless text, put your favourite pen to some quality paper and commune with your mind to touch the heart of another. Nothing beats old-fashioned human connection.
When you love something or someone, you act to improve its state, or by a mere expression of praise you exalt its glory and thus add unto it.
The point, my dear friends, is that appreciation is a gesture of love. It is love in action.
An old-fashioned love letter is a romantic and personal way to express your feelings and devotion to your loved one. Here are a few steps you can follow to write an old-fashioned love letter:
- Start with a greeting: Begin the letter by addressing your loved one with a greeting, such as “My dearest [name]” or “To the love of my life.”
- Express your love and devotion: Use the body of the letter to express your love and devotion to your loved one. Write from the heart and be sincere and genuine.
- Mention specific things you love about your loved one: In addition to expressing your love and devotion, mention specific things you love about your loved one. This could be their personality, their appearance, or the way they make you feel.
- Use romantic language: Use romantic and flowery language to express your love and devotion. This could include words like “darling,” “beloved,” and “sweetheart.”
- End with a closing: End the letter with a closing that reflects your feelings, such as “Yours forever,” “With all my love,” or “Until the end of time.”
By following these steps, you can write a heartfelt and old-fashioned love letter that your loved one will treasure.
Why a Handwritten Love Letter?
Love letters are sentiments of the heart expressed through the written word.
That being said, would you want to receive a love letter from someone? Yes. Would you want
that love letter to be based on some generic template he/she found on the web? Hells no.
What to Write
Put some effort into it!
I’ll provide some examples to help you focus your writing, and let you provide the Good Stuff. The Good Stuff are the details: “That time you skipped your night out with the boys to take me to the Opera show was a turning point in the way I viewed our relationship. At that point, I felt like I mattered to you.”
Tell your special one exactly how you feel and what they do that triggers those feelings in you. Yeah yeah, no one can “make” you feel a certain way, but they can certainly help you to set the conditions for letting the feelings flow. Own your feelings, and thank your special one for being there to share your special times.
If you want to be a little on the cheesy side, begin or end your letter with something like, “Thank you for showing me that love is the greatest gift on earth.” Another option is to think about that line and notice what pops into your mind, then write about the pictures and feelings that surround that highly personal image instead. Talk about your vision and values and how your partner fits into the big picture.
- Tell them how your love has grown since first knowing them.
- Tell them explicitly that you care for them. Hinting is nice but leaves too much to the imagination. Be clear in your devotion.
- Highlight their positive attributes. People like to know what you like about them.
Even if you think you are the worst writer in the world, the simple act of taking the time to write out ‘why and what means the world to you’, is a significantly romantic gesture.
If you’re not sure what to write, relax for a minute, picture yourself with your loved one, and imagine a conversation with them where you share with each other exactly what the other needs to hear.
Or, recall a scene with that person wherein you really felt loved. Now write that! You can edit later — just get it out and let the image take you to whatever excites you the most.
We all love to know that we mean something to someone. All beings respond positively to respect and appreciation.
Get Ready to Write
So. Set the stage.
Play some calming background music.
Light some candles, if that’s your thing.
Do a quiet meditation.
Do whatever it takes to get into a mood of appreciation, and then focus on the best qualities in your beloved. See them at their best, even if they don’t always live up to that ideal. This letter is meant to place your person on a pedestal so they can see through your eyes what potential they have and what goodness you see in them. Give them something to live up to, and light the way!
Example of an old-fashioned love letter to a girl/boyfriend you haven’t known for very long
It’s not uncommon to feel a strong connection to someone you don’t know well, and writing an old-fashioned love letter can be a romantic way to express your feelings. Here’s an example of what you could write:
Dear [Name],
My dearest [affectionate name],
From the moment I met you, I knew that you were someone special. Your kind heart, your beautiful smile, and your radiant spirit have captured my attention and captured my heart.
Though we have not known each other for long, the time we have spent together has been magical and filled with love and connection. I cannot wait to get to know you better and to explore the depths of our love and affection.
You are the love of my life, and I am so grateful to have you in my life. I cannot wait to spend more time with you and to build a future filled with love, laughter, and all the joys that life has to offer.
Yours forever, [Your name]
Example of an old-fashioned love letter to your spouse you see everyday but don’t properly appreciate
My dearest [Name],
I write this letter to you with a full heart and a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation. Though we see each other every day, I fear that I do not always express to you the depth of my love and appreciation for all that you are and all that you do.
You are my rock, my guiding light, and the love of my life. Your kind heart, your unwavering support, and your boundless love inspire me every day. I am so grateful to have you by my side, and I am constantly amazed by the depth of your love and devotion to me.
I promise to do better at expressing my love and appreciation for you, and to cherish every moment we share together. You are the love of my life, and I am forever grateful for all that you are and all that you do.
With all my love and appreciation, [Your name]
See also: Say “I Appreciate You” in a Way They Will Love and Show Her Appreciation in Words (Make Her Smile)
Example of a love letter in the old-fashioned style for a long-distance relationship
My dearest [Name],
It feels like an eternity since I last saw you, and every moment without you is a moment too long. My love for you grows stronger with each passing day, and the distance between us only serves to deepen my longing for you.
I think about you constantly and remember all the things I love about you - your kind heart, your beautiful smile, the way you make me laugh. You are the love of my life, and every day without you is a day incomplete.
I dream of the day when we can be reunited, when I can hold you in my arms and feel your warmth and love once more. Until then, know that my love for you is unwavering and my devotion to you is eternal.
Yours forever, [Your name]
Famous Love Letters
It’s easy to get lost in old love letters, captured at a time when letter writing was still an art form.
And, perhaps, these will offer some inspiration for those writing to their sweethearts today.
General Napoleon Bonaparte To Joséphine Bonaparte
A few days ago I thought I loved you; but since I last saw you I feel I love you a thousand times more. All the time I have known you, I adore you more each day; that just shows how wrong was La Bruyére’s maxim that love comes all at once. Everything in nature has its own life and different stages of growth. I beg you, let me see some of your faults: be less beautiful, less graceful, less kind, less good…
Love Letter from President Richard Nixon to First Lady Pat Nixon
Dearest Heart,
…And when the wind blows and the rains fall and the sun shines through the clouds (as it is now) he still resolves, as he did then, that nothing so fine ever happened to him or anyone else as falling in love with Thee—my dearest heart.
Love, Dick
Happy Birthday Love Letter – Johnny Cash to June Carter Cash
Happy Birthday Princess,
We get old and get used to each other. We think alike. We read each others minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted. But once in awhile, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You’re the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much.
Happy Birthday Princess.
John
Happy Wedding Anniversary – President Ronald Reagan to First Lady Nancy Reagan
Aboard Air Force One
March 4 1983
Dear First Lady
I know tradition has it that on this morning I place Happy Anniversary cards on your breakfast tray. But things are somewhat mixed up. I substituted a gift & delivered it a few weeks ago.
Still this is the day, the day that marks 31 years of such happiness as comes to few men. I told you once that it was like an adolescent’s dream of what marriage should be like. That hasn’t changed.
You know I love the ranch but these last two days made it plain I only love it when you are there. Come to think of it that’s true of every place & every time. When you aren’t there I’m no place, just lost in time & space.
I more than love you, I’m not whole without you. You are life itself to me. When you are gone I’m waiting for you to return so I can start living again.
Happy Anniversary & thank you for 31 wonderful years.
I love you
Your Grateful Husband
Related:
Classy Ways to Say I Love You With All My Heart
How to Write an Old-Fashioned Letter to a Friend
