Today I’m playing in Jenny Matlock’s Alphabe-Thursday – with this week’s invitation to blog about something beginning with the letter L. Given my great love of abecedariums*, how could I resist such a delightful prompt?
This afternoon I had a lovely time creating Valentines and thinking about the people I love to celebrate and am so grateful to have in my life. I love sending Valentines, but they’re just one expression in my repertoire. You see, I’m on a mission to promote the widespread exchange of love letters.
I certainly believe we could do a far better job in our world living as heart-centered beings devoted to loving-kindness. Can you imagine how different everything might look under the pervasive expression of love and appreciation?
What would it be like to be more generous with our love? Doesn’t everyone deserve a little reminder they are seen and recognized, loved and appreciated?
What if we all sent love letters to one another? If we left a little note of gratitude for the waitstaff when they leave the bill for us to pay? If we tucked a note in the mailbox of our neighbor who surprised us by shoveling our walk? When was the last time you told a friend how grateful you were for their friendship and support? And how fun would it be to send them a little surprise love note in the mail saying just that? Of course you don’t HAVE to send a note – you can use email or text and spread your love that way. But notes and love letters are definitely right-fit for me, and so they’re part of my practice.
But seriously, I would definitely award extra points for sending love letters through the mail. Just think of all those love vibrations mixing it up with the stream of junk mail and bills. Think of love letters energetically lightening up the conveyor belts in post offices across the world sending little sparks of love into machinery. Do you suppose the mail carrier’s bag is a little happier when it has a stack of love letters nestled amidst its load? Well, perhaps you can’t imagine that, but you can certain imagine the delight of receiving a note.
There’s another side to this coin as well. Some people are actually really good at expressing love and gratitude, but they totally stumble when it comes to receiving it, brushing it aside as though it were unwarranted or undeserved. If we really did have a practice of widely exchanging love letters, think of how this might change – having all those opportunities to receive graciously; to hold those words in your hand and be with them allowing them to sink in. To literally practice your receiving skills. I suspect that would be a wonderful gift in balancing our hearts as well.
And have you ever written a love letter to yourself? Do it! You deserve it.
Before you write me off as scoffably Pollyanna-ish in this whole love letter desideratum of mine, consider this observation by Marcus Aurelius:
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”
I certainly believe that’s true, and I want mine colored in love.
What about you? Inspired to send a love letter? What color is your soul wearing today? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
And do consider stopping by Jenny Matlock’s blog and seeing what else the letter L has to share with us today.
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*I love doing month-long blog abecedariums, and it amuses me to remember that last February I did an abecedarium I called Love Letters, where I celebrated things I loved in alphabetical order. Poke around in the February 2014 archives if you’re inspired to see what was capturing my fancy.
What a beautiful post with such loving and grateful ideas to express our thoughts to people ~ grateful for your post and wishing you a special week ~
xoxox
artmusedog and carol
Thank you, and wishing you a lovely week as well. I’m so glad you stopped by to say hello.
My hubby-to-be wrote me each week a love letter for about 3 years since we lived about 10 hours apart till we married. So yeah, that’s a lot of love letters:) Great L- subject for Alphabe!
Oh that’s fabulous – it really makes my heart smile!
Very nice post ! Our world would be much better !
Indeed. Thanks for stopping by Gattina!
I’m a firm believer in letting people know how you feel about them. When the mood hits, I use email to send my thoughts, but I try to do it immediately while I’m in the moment!
Great post.
Good for you! And thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello – I appreciate it.
A wonderful post indeed! There is nothing better than finding cool mail in the mailbox! I belong to a local art group, and we periodically send MAIL ART to one another. The deal is, if you receive a decorated envie in the mail, then you must reciprocate. Sometimes, these envies don’t even contain anything…but the envie itself is a work of art. Some are sewn, some have pockets, painted, rubber stamped…you name it. Hand cancelling is required on the fancy ones, but give it a try. Make someone smile:) Aloha
Oh yes Vicki – nothing better than make-me-smile mail in the mailbox. How fun about your art group! And may you rmailbox always contain treasures.
Yes, you have inspired me to make and send valentines. I better get to it!
Oh fun – happy creating!
Hi Deborah, good idea. Valentines I can do and do do. But love letters, well, I don’t know how to write one. Probably this needs to be taught in school someplace. 🙂
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LOL – I think it may well be taught in the school of the heart. Thanks so much for popping by and saying hello!
I have my notecards out and I’m determined to write some letters this weekend. 🙂 There is nothing nicer and more lovely than receiving and sending handwritten letters. I need to get back in the habit. Time to take out my beloved fountain pens and get to work!
Ooh sounds like a delightful weekend project! I’ve never mastered fountain pens, so I’m very impressed with that skill (and with all the fabulous pens there are!)
I too feel we should still write letters. It is a joy to recieve them in the mailbox. ~Ames
I couldn’t agree more. May your mailbox always be filled with delightful things.
What a wonderful sentiment! As a card maker, I totally support the process of sending cards/love letters through snail mail. It is always one of the highlights of the day, getting the mail, and so much nicer to get love letters than bills! Also, bonus, keeps the postman with a job!
A woman after my own heart Janet! Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hi, and may your mail carrier keep your mailbox filled with good things.
Hi Deborah! I have been reading other posts about love and sending real mail! I love it and will always do it! This is beautifully written and you are inspiring me. A lovely lady I use to work with Wanda, lost her hubby a few years ago. She is 82 and struggling with lots of different health issues. My other former work buddy Bea is 84 and still as vibrant as ever! I am thinking of sending them each a Valentine and then just sending random cards to them so they know I care. Especially Wanda, she was always a bit more fragile and Dave (her late hubby) really was the super glue that held her together! My friend Suzanne use to have a Senior Birthday Month and we would all send cards to folks on her list and include a dollar too. You would not believe the stories we heard, especially from widowers, widows, those living in assisted care etc. I am struggling because I lost my job in November. All the rejection is hard to take. I don’t have any retirement monies and I am just 61! I really need to be working for a few more years, and I would love to open the mail and find a letter or card addressed just to me! I send greetings all the time. I just wish more who can afford it, would reciprocate. I just mailed all the Valentines for our kids and grandkids. I try to get them postmarked from Loveland, Colorado as they hand stamp them and each year someone writes a special little poem that is stamped on those cards! This past Christmas, because I was so sad over losing my job, I sent all our Christmas cards to Santa Claus, Indiana and I was tickled when my son’s gf told me her daughter was over the moon for her card hand stamped with a Santa face and postmarked from Santa Claus! My lil great grandson too! But he also loved the stickers I put inside! LOL!
My friend Julie is one of those incredibly talented crafter’s and she handmakes everything! I L O V E it! Thank you for sharing. Have a beautiful week.
I love hearing you’re a spread-the-love mailer Anne, and what sweet stories you shared. There’s nothing quite like finding a little treasure in your mailbox to brighten your day is there? And how fun you’ve had things specially postmarked!
Best wishes for finding a wonderful new job soon, and hope you have a fabulous week. Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hello.
P.S. If you’d like me to pop by your mailbox with an occasional note, do send me your address. You can use my contact form (in the website header under Meet Deborah).
What a fabulous idea….in today’s world of email and text, I know how ‘special’ I feel when someone sends an actual handwritten note to me.
It is a lovely little treat isn’t it?