Love Letters . . .

I almost made a big mistake the other day. A really big mistake. You know the kind—the oh-my-gosh-I’d-never-make-that-up type of mistake. I was online and decided to visit an old email account. It is one that has become inactive, and in a spirit of organization and cleanliness, I decided I should just delete the account. Just as I was in the process of erasing the account forever, I thought, I should check to make sure there is nothing important here. Oh my, was I glad I did! Because that account is full of love letters.


Maybe you grew up in the era where love letters happened with a pen and paper. Or, maybe you’re growing up in the time where love letters happen on Facebook or in a text. But for me, most of Liz’s love letters came by way of hotmail.com. Years ago, that account became so overrun with spam that I quit using it. But it still has all the love letters. Over the first 2 years we dated, Liz wrote me 144 emails to that account.

Do you remember what it is like to get a love letter? I do. One summer while we were dating, I was interning and she was working a ‘normal job’. I was halfway through a 14-day stretch on the Salmon River when one of my friends came up to camp. He had in his hand . . . a love letter! It was like a cold drink of water on that 112-degree day! Hurriedly, I found a private place to read it. With eager anticipation, I ripped open the envelope. At first, I read the whole letter, scouring for precious tidbits of updates and information. Then I re-read the letter, soaking in the parts that touched my heart. I read it again the next day, and again the day after that. Why? Because it was a love letter! That’s what you do when someone loves you!

Have you ever noticed that you don’t analyze a love letter? That you don’t consciously look for ‘the meaning’? You don’t outline, you don’t chart, you don’t even really ‘study’. You don’t marvel over the grammar, or gush over the syntax. You just absorb. You just allow—even urge—your heart to notice the right things. Because it isn’t about the letter, is it? It’s about the author—your lover. It’s about doing whatever it takes to know your lover better. The author has already captured your heart, and this letter is a delightful opportunity to meet with your lover.

It’s a love letter. Everyone knows how to read a love letter. Or do we?

(Part 2 next week . . .)

Better go make sure that email account stays active!