letters

5:55:00 PM

Somebody once broke up with me in a letter, and I know it sounds silly, but I saved it. I don't know what it was, I guess I just thought it was sweet but how can you really be sad about anything when somebody has taken the time to write it all out in a letter?

There is something about a letter that makes it different from any other type of writing. I'm not sure what it is but I suspect it has something to do with how a letter often starts out with small talk and nothingness then ends in soul-bearing prose. I think people are the most poetic when they're not really trying to be and letters are exhibit a. One of my teachers brought up an interesting idea in class, he said that we think in metaphors so the art of writing is just trying to figure out how to accurately put our thoughts on paper. People mean what they say in letters. I guess with letters you remove the weighty burden of trying to make everything sound correct and as a result everything gets more honest. You don't say things in a dumb, flowery way you just say them like they are. And you say things you wouldn't normally say because you find words to express ideas in a way that does them justice; and it doesn't sound convoluted or weird because you mean it. Letters are casual, they're easy, and above everything else I think they're just refreshing because they mix the every-day-mundaneness of life with honesty. Letters are just honesty on paper.

also, if you want to see a really lovely collection of letters click here.



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1 comments

  1. This is my beautiful daughter in law. I love how you find beauty in simple things. I'm blessed to be your mother in law. I love you honey.

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