A love letter

As all of you know, I love words. If there is one thing I am most passionate about is words. In different forms. In every form. They fascinate me. Since I've been reading a lot of books and taking an interest in a lot of different writing over the internet as well, I started realising how people have changed in terms of how they communicate their affection towards another through their words.

Over time I have gathered a lot of information through the various things I have seen - be it on a train, or a passer bys overheard conversation. There are always new things that I'm learning about this "new" generation that's emerged. I've seen or heard people "dumping" their partners via text message by saying things like "were ova" - I mean, no decency to punctuate or even spell correctly. Surely the person receiving this text message needs a little more information, or at least words that make sense, right? Apparently not. It seems to be a very common thing. Especially to text message someone, or e-mailing them to say "i luv u" which let's be honest, is a bit annoying. At least respect the words in their right form. How much harder is it to add a few more vowels to the entire message, right? Okay, this isn't a rant (don't get me started on Valentines Day!). 

I've seen a lot of my friends and acquaintances fall in and out of 'love' several times in the same month. I don't judge them for it, because I think it is possible to have strong feelings for a few people in different ways. I just think that there is one person that fits perfectly with us in the end. 

When I was a teenager, and the friends/acquaintances I had around me, would often write letters/notes to the boys in our school, as we were in a segregated school. There were times where I would be sat next to them whilst they wrote it and it would read something like this "hey babes, u looked so hot/sexy yesterday when u were walking to the sports hall. What was Miss X doin with u and y were u laughing so much? i told dat b**** to stay away frm u. neways ill see u behind the buses at home time today. I love u mwah." These "love" notes would be passed around the entire school before reaching their destination at the boys section.

Whilst in college here in London, I realised that the concept of "love" was quite different. It was more about the physical side of things, and more about fighting and arguing loudly for everyone to see. Oh and cheating. For instance, I was once sitting with an acquaintance who was telling me all about her "love" story. She told me how they "dug" each other (no, not physically dig a hole in the ground, the other, more cooler "dig") and how they had met at a party, and now she was coming close to celebrating her 2nd year anniversary with him. I was impressed, until she told me that she didn't care for him and just stayed with him because it was easier than looking for somebody else. It was so upsetting to hear something like that, and apparently it was quite common. They weren't really "in love", they were just together. She once dictated an email she wanted me to write out to him due to some technical issue on her computer. It read, "yeh I love u 2. Soz cant make it to ur work 2day babe. c u lata."

I know that we have to move with the changes and everything, and I'm all for that. But there has to be some kind of protective bubble like substance that stays around words used to communicate affectionate and passionate feelings. I mean I understand that people need to get their message across, and in this day and age where people are trying to make long distance relationships work more and more, I get that the only communication you can have is digital. But still, preserving words for this is something I really believe in.

I think that it's getting harder to come across people who still think or write that way. Communicating such deep feelings should just flow out from your fingertips or your mouth, not every day but once in a while. You should feel inspired every time you see that person that it takes no effort at all to just use all these brilliant words that you have at your disposal. It's not just about writing or speaking in a more sincere and expressive manner, but it's also the type of words used to describe certain things - such as using "fit, buff, peng" and I regret to write "da bomb" (yes I'm serious), to describe somebody you find very attractive. Why does it have to be so hard to use something as simple as "beautiful/stunning/magnificent?"

I think some of the most breathtaking words ever written, have come from a very very long time ago. The legendary and renowned love letter (linked) for instance, by Beethoven was written somewhere in the 1700 or 1800. Words like that, make you envision something so fantastic. It makes you think "wow, this man/woman really knew how to love".. And although that's such a ridiculous thing to say, because well you can't possibly know how to love, you just do, right? But it makes you believe that this person, whoever he or she may be, had a great love story, one of those that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, with great twists and turns with a great happy ending. But maybe it wasn't so great, maybe it was just ordinary. But you see, that's the kind of thing words do to you.

It's all well and good to text message or e-mailing the person you have feelings for to let them know you're thinking about them. And it does make you feel special, receiving that email or text message which is well written, that has substance to it. If you read it in a book, you'd swoon. No, I'm not saying that people should always talk like they're out of a 1950's romantic movie, or a World War 1 soldier writing to his loved one far away. But there has to be something, that makes the words just stick to you for the day, week, and perhaps even years - where when you think about those words, even if that person no longer exists in your life, you feel warm and feel a rush of brilliant tingles.

I think that there are so many ways to write, talk and speak non-verbally to get your words of 'love' across to the person they're meant for and I don't see the use of degrading a few lovely words to make them sound like they came out of a chewing cow's mouth. I think we're better than that, no?


In the spirit of this post - a very fitting song.