Putting pen to paper

If you type ‘how to write a love letter’ on Google, you’ll get loads of advice – from the choice of paper to the colour of the ink, the salutation to the signature. But if you are like most married people, your main concern, perhaps, is ‘what do I write in a love letter to my spouse?’

As with any project, you need to be clear about the purpose of the exercise. Why are you writing the letter? Is it to apologise for something? To rekindle the lost spark of
togetherness? Perhaps, all you want to do is let your spouse know that you feel like the luckiest person on earth to share this life with someone so extraordinary.

Once the goal is clear, you can move on to other aspects. So, you are no Shakespeare. Words are not your forte. That needn’t be a deterrent. Just think of the letter as a means to communicate your feelings. What’ll matter to your spouse the most is, in all likelihood, the fact that you made the effort to write the letter, you made them feel special, you made it known expressly that you care about the relationship as much as s/he does.
Don’t rack your brains too much about the content of the letter. Listen to your heart. You don’t need to write a thesis. You can keep it short, sweet and simple. Less is more. Make it personal. Share your dreams, fantasies, fears, disappointments. Tell your better half what you like about them. Is it the naughty nudge, the assuring smile, the
never-say-die attitude?

The mistress of Alexander Pope is known to have addressed him as “Dear Creature” in one of her letters. Far from being offended, the poet responded in a letter beginning with “Most Divine!” It could very well have been an inside joke, something intimate that only the two of them shared. Even if it didn’t make sense to the rest of the world, it hardly
matters – unless, of course, you happen to be enviously famous and the letters may go on auction some day!

For the rest of us non-famous, married folks, writing a love letter needn’t be about great poetry or impeccable grammar. It’s about two things only – you and your spouse. And your marriage.