Love Letters

Our wedding picture, November 10, 1967

“How do we want to celebrate forty-eight years of marriage?” I asked my husband, Dave.  “I have women’s Bible study in the morning, and in the evening we need to be at church to lead our Love and Respect small group,” I reflected.  Dave looked at me and asked, “What do you want to do?”  I thought a bit, then said we could have lunch out somewhere, to which Dave added, “Maybe afterwards, we could read our old love letters.” 

“Ooh, what a great idea!” I cooed.  “We haven’t seen those letters in all our forty-eight years of marriage!”  So it was settled, and I was quite proud to tell all my girlfriends at the Bible study of Dave’s brilliant, romantic idea.

I’d carefully packaged and stored our love letters in the cedar chest Dave had handmade for me as an engagement gift.  I have always treasured that cedar chest, knowing the love that went into making it.  

The cedar chest Dave hand-made for me as an engagement gift

During lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse, we reminisced about our two years of being apart when he was in Hannibal, Missouri, and about our wedding day, our honeymoon, the mobile home that was our first residence, the state of our finances as newlyweds, Dave’s first job, his employers…

At home, I watched in great anticipation as Dave opened the cedar chest and pulled out one large brown package and one shoe box filled with love letters.  He carried them to our dining room table, and from the brown grocery bag, I pulled out three separate stacks of letters tied with string.  So many letters!  I hardly knew where to start, but thankfully I had sorted them before storing, and we found the first letters we wrote one another after Dave left to begin his two-year term in Voluntary Service in Hannibal, Missouri. We saw each other only twice during those two years when he came home for a visit, and he asked me to marry him in May of 1966 when he was home for a visit.

At random, I picked up a letter I sent to Dave dated May 27, 1966, and was surprised as I read, "Your comments about the poem I wrote made me feel very happy, dearest.  I always have enjoyed writing poetry, and I've often been tempted to try writing a book on the life of a common Mennonite girl -- like me!  Ha!  Say now, I just might write an autobiography someday -- some young person may benefit from my experiences -- especially with you.  Ha!  I could write quite a few chapters about that! Ha!"  (I sure used those "Ha's" a lot, didn't I?)  Ha!  I wonder what poem I had sent him?  I'm sure I'll come across it.  But I digress.  Those words about writing my memoirs are still a desire in my heart, and I have become a writer and a published author of three children's books, with a book of poetry waiting in the wings for publication, and am also currently writing a cookbook!  

Postage was 5 cents!

A valentine Dave sent me from Missouri

What a treat to re-live the memories of those days and remember the details of week-to-week events!  We barely made a dent in those stacks of letters, but I’ll keep them out on the table for a while.  We both noticed immediately the Calvinistic bent to our beliefs, how spiritually law-based we were, and how much more we have grown spiritually!

In one of my letters dated October 11, 1965, I wrote, “Mom said, ‘You know, Dave is a young man who really has strong convictions and principles behind him, and he isn’t afraid to have a strong backbone.”  Our letters were frequently punctuated with “Honey, My Darling, Sweetheart, Precious,” and reminded me of our first love for each other.  We laughed a lot together, and laughing together always strengthens and renews bonds of friendship.

We even found notes we sent each other in our high school years!  Dave quit school in his eleventh year to help his dad on the farm, and completed his education via correspondence school.  I was in my senior year, and we'd just started dating, and I was quite saddened by his decision.  But we wrote notes back and forth, with his twin brother Jonathan (who loved to tease us) playing mail carrier.  We especially had fun reading those long-ago notes!     

Today, I find myself looking at Dave in a little different way – appreciating anew the memories we made and the experiences that have cemented our love and friendship.  I thank God for the rich and fulfilling marriage we share.

My friend Nanci on Facebook wrote, “You both are such an inspiration and role model for so many.  You should write a blog [post] for newlyweds and young couples on what it takes to stay married through so many years.”  

Thank you, Nanci; I plan to do just that!

Copyright © 2015 Elaine Beachy