It all began on a warm summer evening. My wife and I had been working offset shifts, she was gone for work before I rose for the day and asleep about two hours after I got off work. We did not have much time together except on the weekends, which of course was filled with everything we couldn’t get done during the week. I was sitting up one night preparing for another long day at work, my mind preoccupied with deadlines and meetings. As I got ready to go to bed I thought how can I communicate with my wife even though we hardly see one another. I thought about our wedding day. My wife and I were very young, and we had no idea what we were in for but we loved one another and we loved the Lord. I remembered her laughter, the sparkle in her eyes, the way her hand fit perfectly into mine, and the way it made me feel – it all came rushing back.
In that moment, I was reminded of the promises we made to each other. Promises to always be there, to communicate, to cherish every moment. But life, with its endless demands, had somehow made those promises fade into the background. We were still deeply in love, but the daily grind had taken its toll on our communication. Our conversations were often limited to mundane topics like bills, chores, and schedules.
I wanted to break that cycle. I wanted to remind her, and myself, of the love that was the foundation of our union. But how? Then it struck me. Why not leave her a note? A simple, handwritten note expressing my feelings, my gratitude, and my love.
I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down my thoughts. It wasn’t poetic or elaborate, just a genuine expression of my feelings.
I left the note on the door so she wouldn’t miss it. That evening, when she returned home, she said that the note made her cry, not in a bad way but in a good way. She told me she would never get rid of the note because someday our sons would read them and see how we felt. She said you should create a book out of the letters and here we are. Whether this eventually turns into a book or not, I do not know but at least they will exist here.
From that day on, writing notes became a ritual. Whether it was a simple “I love you” or a longer letter recounting a cherished memory, these notes became our bridge of communication. They were reminders of our love, our commitment, and the beautiful journey we were on together.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.