Oftentimes we get caught up in our own lives to the point that we forget to acknowledge the presence of our friends, family, and significant others. While the occasional hug, kiss, or "I love you" is a great help in expressing what others mean to us, sometimes a little more work can go a long way.
When To Write A Letter
Have you ever wanted to tell someone what they mean to you, but were too shy? Or maybe they need encouragement or a pat on the back. My personal favorites are special occasions. Whether it be Mother's Day, Christmas, a birthday, or a significant event such as a child leaving for college, a good letter can brighten up a loved one's day and make them feel appreciated.
What To Put in the Letter
Now the only task left is the actual action of writing the letter. This can be quite difficult at times. It may be difficult for you to open up. Take this advice from someone who has been there: Just do it! You will feel so much closer to the recipient. Also, the more you open up in the letter, the more they will appreciate it. Try to be as honest as you can be about what you feel.
Start by deciding what you want to focus on in the letter. You can have more than one topic intertwined, but here are a few strong suggestions:
- The love between you two
- Respect/Admiration
- Thankfulness
- Good times that have been shared
Though it is a short list, it should give you an idea of the direction to take with your own letter. A common mistake when writing this type of letter is writing it in a professional style. While good grammar and a strong vocabulary are necessary, too much professionalism can dim the feelings in the letter and make it feel too stiff. Make sure to put your personality in the letter. A perfect way to do this is to insert anecdotes about times the two of you have spent together, or even add an inside joke for humor's sake.
One concern that often causes confusion is length. Is the letter too short? Too long? How do I know? Well, just as there will be no two recipients who will appreciate the same uniform letter, neither will there be two identical letters. To determine it's length, there are two things to be considered. You should first consider the person receiving it. Do you believe they would rather have a long, in-depth letter, or do they prefer short and sweet? Secondly, you must decide what you are capable of. If you don't have much writing talent, or you only have a few things to say, keep it short. If the letter is stretched to far and filled with repetitive nonsense, the reader will become bored. The last thing you would ever want to do is bore them to death!
Just Do It!
Now that you have the tools to tell your loved one what they mean to you, don't hold back. Take this chance and... just do it!
