Once a week I drive across town and scan someone else's stuff.
This week when I got there I pulled a giant folder of letters out of the drawer. Within all the letters was this stack of about 120 index cards. They were regular lined 3x5 index cards. Nothing special, but each one had one or two sentences written in pencil on it. All were undated and included no names.
After reading a few of the cards, I realized that they were love notes from the WWII soldier man to his wife. Judging from the information on the cards, I'd say they were written after the war when the two were back in the same house.
What touched me was that each card was a love note. Perhaps the man left a card every day for his wife to read after he left for work. Each card was kind or funny, but all of them told this lady how much her husband loved her. And boy did he love her.
I was floored that no two cards were the same, yet each one was sincere. How many different ways can you say you love someone? This guy did it 120 different ways.
How would marriages change if we all did something like this?
Once the cards were done, I scanned a bunch of World War II era letters to and from the man and wife. Many from the man were short notes written quickly before bed. He was very busy in the military. Some of the letters deal with basic marital issues like getting the taxes filed, which is a challenge when the guy who does the taxes is serving the country.
My favorite letter of the day was to the wife from the wife's sister. The wife had a new baby and the sister was giving her parenting advice. Was the baby on orange juice yet? It was time to put the baby on orange juice. And cod liver oil. Do not forget the cod liver oil. It says so on page 76 of the parenting book.
When I read that, I turned the letter back over, looked at the date, and did the math in my head. The baby was a month old! Ay yi yi. I'll steer clear of 1940's parenting advice.
So that's it for this week's scanning. I had no idea so many people read this series and actually liked it. Thank you for the feedback and encouragement. This is my 3x5 index card to you.
I love this. Joe & I have been togather for 23 years and I still leave him notes all over the house. It is a great way to start your day.
ReplyDeleteAww..that's nice.
DeleteThanks for the post, Amy. I hang out for your next instalment each week. Please keep us in the loop.
DeleteThanks for the post, Amy. I hang out for your next instalment each week. Please keep us in the loop.
DeleteI love it too. I'm thinking - how about a note in his lunch every day.
ReplyDeleteI have a challenge because we're in different countries M-F. Paper notes are out, and texts aren't saved. Plus my Mr. isn't romantic (and doesn't read my blog comments so I can speak freely, lol).
DeleteHow neat! I should start leaving my hubby notes. I think he would like that and would probably reciprocate. Even after 35 years of marriage, LOL!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! I think that's so awesome that all these love letters and notes were saved. What a treat for their descendants to have them to read! Oh, and I'll pass on the 1940's baby food guidelines too! Wow!
ReplyDeleteI was on the cod liver oil treatment by at least the age of two. Don't know how old I was when it started. Hated the taste. My older brother loved the taste so much at age 5 he climbed up on the bathroom sink and got the bottle out of the medicine cabinet and drank most of it. I am told he "turned green" and was just a tad ill. Fortunately for me my mother found cod liver oil in pill form with a sugar coating so I didn't mind that at all. Yes, this was the 1940s.
ReplyDeleteI love this. I used to cut out cartoons or jokes from the newspaper (back in the days) and put them in my kids' lunches for school. They loved them and it became a "thing" with their friends to read them while sitting around the lunch tables. It was lots of fun when those same kids decided to send notes back to me! Ahhh ... the power of the written word!
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