Earlier this week in an article entitled, “A Martian’s Guide to Fourteen Loving Acts for Any Day of the Year” we wrote about great things guys can do for their special love on Valentine’s Day. We started by reminding guys that “too often, men focus on the big acts of love and forget the small ones that for women count every bit as much.”
One of the most endearing things a man or woman can do for one each other is to sit down and write about the love they feel for their partner. You really don’t have to empty your bank account on expensive gifts or eating out at a high priced restaurant. Just consider picking up a pen and putting down on paper a few well-chosen words.
In the age of Twitter we’ve all become accustomed to short messages. But in this instance we’re aiming for more than “140 characters.” In this effort it’s critical to lead with your heart, the character count or the word count are no where near as important as the words that express your love.
Here’s a simple five-step guide to writing a letter to your Valentine. Not only may this be the nicest gift of love you ever give your partner, it will be one that is saved for a lifetime:
Step One: Use that very first line to mark the date.
It may seem of little interest today, but one day when you take out this letter and read it together on your 40th wedding anniversary, that date will mean the world to both of you.
Step Two: Open with a declaration of love.
Don’t get shy now. Those opening lines have to eloquently declare your love. Here’s an example: “Every smile on my lips starts with a thought about you.”
Step Three: Make an amorous analogy.
Not one comes to mind? Well, consider these: “My heart beats like the wings of a bird every time I look at you.” Or, “The love that flows between us is more powerful than the greatest river.”
Step Four: Make a love list.
It’s great to confess your deep and lasting passion, but add to that a simple list of what that means to you. You can do this by saying such things as: “My heart is happier every time you walk into the room. When you hold me, I feel a thrill going through me. Your kisses are the sweetest kisses I have ever known.”
Step Five: Close with a commitment.
Seal the deal with a statement about how your love has, and will continue to stand the test of time. “May our souls always be bound together; I will never know a love as great as the love we share.”
For all those masters of the world of high speed broadband, a word of caution: affectionate notes online are just fine, but cupids arrows don’t fly near as well through the ether as they do through that old medium of the mail, or hand delivery.
The term “sealed with a kiss” doesn’t work half as well if it’s followed by hitting a button marked “send.” The best delivery of a handwritten note is when it is placed, folded inside a card, then sealed in an envelope and tucked under your beloved’s pillow.
