Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Love Letters





As I was editing a post last week, I was thinking that no matter how hard I worked on a piece or how many of you might enjoy my blog once in a while, there wouldn't be anything here at all if it wasn't for Sam.  Sure, we all frequent this corner of blogland because of a common fascination with spanking......

       ....but don't you think our blogs are really 
       born out of some of the greatest love stories 
                     you have ever heard ?!






If I think about any one of the women who regularly visit my blog or whose blogs I read each week, I see one love story after another.  All different, to be sure.  But love stories just as plain as the nose on your face.  A man and a woman who have been together for many years - young love and children and careers.  But I think that
all pales when you really unwrap the essence of the bond between them.  Then what you have to hold in your hand is that kernel of truth and passion and real love.  Not a Hollywood love or a Romeo and Juliet love, but a wiser, stronger love like the mountains I can see from my kitchen window.  This is the kind of love that can grow into ttwd.  And this is the kind of love that takes my breath away when I look at Sam and he looks at me.


Several years ago, Sam and I tackled a big cleaning task together and went through a huge storage closet in our mud room.  Christmas ornaments and garden items and boxes of memorabilia.  We sorted and cleaned and reorganized.  It had been 20 years since we opened some of those dusty boxes.  We were rolling through
this project with all dispatch until we found a box that contained all our love letters to each other.  That stopped us in our tracks, and we both sat on the floor and started to read.  Good writing has a quality called "Voice," and the voices we were reading were our own.  It was us but somehow the words were new again.  Many of them ached with the feeling of young passion and longing to be back next to each other.  I remembered that gorgeous boy I fell in love with and how hard it was not to have him there with me.  I could see a girl with long brown hair glued to the phone (when phones were still glued to the wall) and waiting for his call.  We both smiled a lot that afternoon as we read.


I surely do love this quote.


Just lately several friends have sent me handwritten notes or thank- yous, and I will tell you that there is still a place for letters that are written in the hand of someone you care about.  That person held that piece of paper in his or her hand and now you are holding that piece of paper in your hand.  It becomes so much more than paper; it becomes a piece of their heart.  Something to hold and touch and cherish.  I know it sounds old-fashioned but emails just can't quite measure up to that.





So where are the love letters now?  I believe my blog has become the mailbox for my love letters to Sam.  In each post I think our love for each other still shines through and that my "Voice" is present in every word.





Recently a special blog friend pointed out that she never hears any husband-bashing in the ttwd posts she reads.  I agree, and I say we almost always hear about how wonderful and appreciated those husbands are.  It doesn't mean that Sam or I never stumble.  It simply means we pick ourselves up, and instead of silences and hurtful words, there is ttwd to help us refocus on the path we want to take.


Sam "writes" what is in his heart every day now....
  • when he pushes me up against the wall for kisses that are slow and long.
  • when he takes my hand wherever we go.
  • when he gently puts his hand on my bottom to remind me of what's important.
  • when he pats his knee to invite me to sit in his lap.
  • when he pulls me into "spoon" last thing each night.
  • when he makes love to me and sends me to the moon and back. 






And Sam writes his greatest love letters when he spanks me.  For this wife, that is when I hear his "I love you" most clearly.  He gives me this gift freely and uses his hand to sign his name on my bottom instead of at the bottom of the page.  And I know in my heart how much I am loved.  

                                                    Thank you, Sam
                                                     
                                                     Your Ella Ever After



  

11 comments:

  1. Ella, this is such a beautiful post. The love you and Sam share definitely shines through in every post. I never thought before about the blog being a love letter, but you are so right.

    During a clean out a few months back I too came across notes and cards we had written to each other and we sat down together and re-read them.

    Hugs
    Roz

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  2. This is a beautiful post. The written word, I love it. Even if you can't always tell the tone behind a comment or text, I still find myself saying things in writing that I don't say right to someone's face and usually it's a message of love to Nick or deep friendship to so many in bogland.

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  3. Ella,
    I do love a hand written note. They do not arrive very frequently anymore as I think it has become a lost art. However my stationery drawers are filled with the finest of note cards. I am a believer in writing those notes.

    Love letters.......... Jack and I have written many. The deployment ones are sometimes rough to read. At times I was angry as I handled many things on the home front. We decided not to keep all of them. It was a good decision.
    All love letters are not equal in merit. The good ones are treasures and the others are meant to go. I guess those were not love letters, but conversations at a great distance.
    Meredith

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  4. Lovely post. Ray and I have never been letter writers - a few notes here and there. They would be good mementos however. I remember coming across my mother's letters to my dad when he was in WWII. I never read them but gave them to him. I noticed how solemn he was the rest of that day and saw tears as he burned them one by one in the firepit-perhaps sending them off to her once again.

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  5. I so love this post...the written word is so powerful and such a good reminder of our pasts. I make it a point to send a note or card the each of the grands in turn....they are so excited to open their own mail....
    hugs abby

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  6. Ella, I agree, a hand written note is truly special these days. I still get excited when one arrives, it's just so personal which seems so rare now.
    Love letters are a sweet treasure and I have my favourites that make me smile and think of many wonderful times. It might be time to pull a couple out now-it's been a while. Thank you for your writing, your paintings, and your voice, I enjoy them immensely.

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  7. I really loved this Ella! My Scotsman and I have shared many notes and cards throughout the years. We don't write long notes just simple and sweet, However my art is often my best way of writing my words!

    The last paragraph really says it all!

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  8. beautiful post. the written word is powerful. notes often hold memories that are dear to one's heart. I still believe in hand-written cards though write them less than I did once. Thank-you for sharing your voice. :-) Hugs

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  9. What a sweet love letter, Ella. Those memories are specially aren't they. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

    Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  10. This is a lovely post Ella, thank you for sharing some of your memories. I love the last paragraph too.

    Harry and I were having a sort out in our loft a while back and came across my 1969 diary, chronicling the beginning of our love affair. My letters to Harry were with it but his to me are missing, sadly.

    Rosie xx

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  11. Ella this is such a beautiful post and shows the love between you and Sam. I too, love receiving and sending handwritten notes and cards. Wish other people felt the same, instead of email send snail mails.
    Your final paragraph sums it all up well. Thank you for sharing with us.
    Hugs Lindy

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