Hand Written

Is letter writing gone for good? Will my children even know HOW to write with a pen and paper? It seems that everything has turned into phone, text or email these days. It's a bit sad. Do you still write a hand written thank you note? I try to, but will say the family Christmas and birthday gifts have taken a slide in years past. I know, I know, that's terrible, and I need to be better. Especially if I expect the tot to write thank yous. It's just proper. That's a term from my brother, no doubt. Proper. He loves to live in Dallas proper and dreams of a proper leather club chair for his living room. He's all about proper. But I digress.

When the Chief and I (really just the Chief, but I direct traffic very well) moved a dressing table to storage we found a love letter tucked at the bottom of a drawer. The postage is dated January 31, 1969 and the stamp cost was merely 6 cents. It was written by a young man living and going to school in Austin. It never indicates the University of Texas, but I almost assume as much. Not sure why, but makes the story seem right to me. He wrote about his classes from the fall and the grades he received. He went onto to tell this lovely lady that he had dodged the draft at least for one more semester and avoided Vietnam. He seemed to have true affection for this girl living in Arlington, Texas. And I wonder what ever happened. Did they eventually marry? Did they have children? They would be just about my parents age. The letter was so neat to read. It's like finding a fossil. They just aren't around much anymore.

Can you imagine life without the ease and convenience of a cell phone? No option to just pick up the phone or shoot an email? This young woman probably checked her mailbox religiously hoping to find a love letter. And the butterflies she must have experienced when there was one in there...from HIM. Another time, another place.

The Chief has written some lovely notes inside cards and such, but I don't think I can ever recall receiving a proper love letter in the mail. And for things like our anniversary and my birthday, I do kind of expect a little lovie, sappiness in a card. I mean, for a couple of times a year I think that's okay to ask. But man, oh man, how neat it would be to open your mailbox and find a lovely little love note?