The Power Of A Love Letter

Here’s the thing: I’m a big ol’ sentimental softie.

I get teary-eyed over movies (and even some commercials). If you’ve ever seen my Instagram feed, you know I take pictures constantly of my nephews and niece. I still have all of my old yearbooks, and I’ve saved many, many cards and letters that I’ve received over the years. I literally have Rubbermaid Totes full of them.

There’s just something special about the love letter … And I’m not just talking about romantic love letters. I’m talking about any handwritten note or letter. There’s a power to it! (especially in this day and age when it’s so much easier to text or email)

This is the picture I have hanging above my closet. It’s directly opposite of my bed. I can’t help but look at it every day when I open my eyes. See? I wasn’t kidding when I said I loved love letters.

It’s no surprise to say that I was moved when I heard Hannah Brencher’s story. (Which I just heard for the first time today.) The simple version is that after she left home to move to New York, she became lonely and depressed. She started writing in her journal for comfort. She began writing anonymous love letters and leaving them around New York City for other people to find.

Here’s a quick video to sum up Hannah’s story:

You can get involved in this movement through Hannah’s site, More Love Letters. It’s simple. You can mail a letter to someone who needs a little pick me up (there are letter requests on the site).

Or, you can just write one and leave it around your town for someone to find. (There are sample letters and a guide on how to write a love letter on the site, for those of you who feel you’re no good at writing.)

I think this is a beautiful idea and a wonderful reminder of how powerful a handwritten letter can be.

Here’s Hannah’s TED Talk

You can purchase Hannah’s book, If You Find This Letter: My Journey to Find Purpose Through Hundreds of Letters to Strangers, by clicking here

You can find Hannah on Twitter by clicking here