While it's May and not February (the time we usually think about love and romance in our country), the classic love letter is always appreciated by the beloved.  Forget about email for a moment.  Forget about applications like "HugMe" on FaceBook or MySpace.  What your beloved will truly treasure is a handwritten note, from you, telling him or her just how much you care.  In order to write that perfect "love letter," follow the steps below.

  1. Find the right stationary.  You don't need anything fancy, but you should use something more than typical college rule paper.  You can take a look around stores like Papyrus or Hallmark, or, if you are feeling creative, you can use construction paper in your beloved's favorite color and deckle-edge scissors.
  2. Once you have the stationary you will use, write on another sheet of paper first.  This way, you can be free to make mistakes, word things akwardly, and say the wrong thing before you write it on the stationary you will be using to deliver your love letter upon.
  3. Don't edit.  When writing the draft, remember this isn't the letter your sweetheart will receive.  Let all the emotions onto the page.  Be as mushy and sappy sweet and romantic as you want.  When you transfer your letter over to the stationary you have selected for your love letter, you can edit. 
  4. Be sure you let your beloved know how much they mean to you.  What would happen if you couldn't see your beloved for a month?  How do you feel when looking into his eyes?  How does she make you feel when she runs her fingers through your hair? 
  5. Don't be afraid to quote the greats.  Just make sure you appropriately attribute the quote.  If a Shakespearean Sonnet or a line from a Tom Petty song seems to describe your love perfectly, don't omit it, just make sure you said that Shakespeare or Tom Petty said it.  Once you attribute the quote, then tell your sweetheart why that quote describes your feelings.
  6. Once you have your draft, put it away for a little while, let it "marinate."  By doing this, when you come back to edit it and copy it to your fine stationary, you will be sure that your love letter says exactly what you mean and means exactly what you say.
  7. Edit your letter.  Don't be too picky, but make sure that your intentions and emotions are clear.
  8. Copy the letter onto the stationary. 
  9. Send the letter to your beloved.
During the summer we may be away from our loves due to vacations, business, or camp.  The classic love letter is a wonderful way to tell your sweetheart you are thinking of them while you are apart.  Love letters aren't just for couples unable to be in proximal distance to one another.  They are also a great way for spouses to share their emotions for one another.