love letters.

Happy Valentine's Day. This year I'm celebrating without a "valentine," but I don't think you need one to make the day meaningful. Sometimes it catches my breath a little thinking of all the people who I love, who love me right back, even when sometimes it's undeserved.

I have a lot of thoughts on love. I think I've been in it before, and it's beautiful and messy and motivating and scary. I think love makes you want to be the best possible version of you, makes you care more about the well-being of another person than of yourself.

There's so much I could say about love, but today I'm excited about who I'm going to let speak instead. I found a few love letters from some musicians, actors, former presidents, etc., and I think they should be shared.

Johnny Cash to June:

Hey June,

That's really nice, June. You've got a way with words and a way with me as well.

The fire and excitement may be gone now that we don't go out there and sing them anymore, but the ring of fire still burns around you and is keeping our love hotter than a pepper sprout. 

Love, 

John

Happy birthday Princess,

We get old and get used to each other. We think alike. We read each other's minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted.

But once in a while, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You're the object of my desire, the #1 earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much.

Happy birthday Princess.

John

Ronald Reagan to Nancy:

My Darling Wife,

This note is to warn you of a diabolical plot entered into by some of our so-called friends {ha!}, calendar makers and even our own children. These and others would have you believe we've been married 20 years. 

20 minutes maybe — but never 20 years. In the first place it is a known fact that a human cannot sustain the high level of happiness I feel for more than a few minutes — and my happiness keeps increasing. 

I will confess to one puzzlement but I'm sure it is just some trick perpetrated by our friends {ha again!}. I can't remember ever being without you and I know I was born more than 20 minutes ago.

Oh well — that isn't important. The important thing is I don't want to be without you for the next 20 years, or 40, or however many there are. I've gotten very used to being happy and I love you very much indeed. 

Your husband of 20 something or other. 

Marlon Brando to a stewardess:

Dear Lady,

There is something not quite definable in your face — something lovely, not pretty in a conventionally thought of way. You have something graceful and tender and feminine. You seem to be a woman who has been loved in her childhood, or else, somehow by the mystery of genetic phenomena you have been visited by the gifts of refinement, dignity and poise. Perhaps you cannot be accredited with all that.

Irrespective of your gothic aspects, you have passed something on in terms of your expression, mien and general comportment that is unusual and rewarding. 

It's been a pleasant if brief encounter and I wish you well and I hope we shall have occasion to cross eyes again sometime. 

Best wishes,

Marlon Brando

Jimi Hendrix to a girlfriend:

little girl...

happiness is within you...so unlock the chains from your heart and let yourself grow — 

like the sweet flower you are...

I know the answer —

just spread your wings and set yourself FREE

love to you forever

Jimi Hendrix

Rockwell Kent to his wife Frances:

Frances! I am so lonely I can hardly bear it. As one needs happiness so have I needed love; that is the deepest need of the human spirit. And as I love you utterly, so have you now become the whole world of my spirit. It is beside and beyond anything that you can ever do for me; it lies in what you are, dear love — to me so infinitely lovely that to be near you, to see you, hear you, is now the only happiness, the only life, I know. How long these hours are alone!

Yet is good for me to know the measure of my love and need, that I may at least be brought to so govern myself as never to lose the love and trust that you have given me.

Dear Frances, let us make and keep our love more beautiful than any love has ever been before. 

Forever, dearest one.

Thy 

Rockwell.

Michael Jordan to a high-school girlfriend:

My Dearest Laquette

How are you and your family doing, fine I hope. I am in my Adv. Chemistry class writing you a letter, so that tells you how much I care for you. I decide to write you because I felt that I made you look pretty rotten after the last night. I want to tell you that I am sorry, and hope that you except my apologie. I know that you feelings was hurt whenever I loss my necklace or had it stolen.

I was really happy when you gave me my honest earn money that I won off the bet. I want to thank you for letting me hold your annual. I show it to everyone at school. Everyone think you are a very pretty young lady and I had to agree because it is very true. Please don't let this go to your head {smile}. I sorry to say that I can't go to the game on my birthday because my father is taking the whole basketball team out to eat on my birthday. Please don't be mad because I am trying get down there a week from Feb. 14. If I do get the chance to come please have some activity for us to do together.

I want you to know that my feelings for you has not changed yet {joke}. I am finally getting used to going with a girl much smaller than I. I hope you like my hint. Well I have spent my time very wisely by write to you. I hope you write back soon. Well I must go, the period is almost over. See you next time around, which I hope comes soon. 

With my best love,

Michael J. Jordan

Aren't these the greatest? I love how different people portray love. Ronald Reagan used humor, Jimi Hendrix and his poetry, Johnny Cash and his honesty. I love how sincere each letter is, how much you can tell each writer meant what they said. Even Michael Jordan as a high school student. :)

I hope you all have a great V-Day, and take some time to write a note to someone you care about, will you?