A Love Letter To The World
Seamless Concepts Love Letter Image (without envelope)
From Airmail To Email: How Love Letters Have Changed Over The Years
Romance is in the air when we think of letter writing and love letters from a bygone era, that time-honored tradition of writing to express our feelings to a loved one. Love letters have changed drastically over the years, from being sent via air mail and taking weeks or even months to be delivered, to the almost instantaneous emails of today. In this blog post, we will explore the evolution of the love letter, from air mail to email, and the impact these changes have had on the way we experience personal letter writing.
During the mid-twentieth century, letter writing was a much slower and more thoughtful process than it is today, receiving letters from people we longed to hear from was a pleasure to behold. The letters themselves were often extremely revealing, intimate and honest, and might also include other aspects of the sender, for example a piece of ribbon,, a lock of hair or a perfumed scent sprayed to the letter itself, or some other momento that held meaning to both the writer and recipient. These things would invariably add another dimension to the experience and made the recipient feel a special and unique closeness to the sender of the letter, people would treasure these letters and keepsakes for a lifetime--to be rediscovered by younger generations of their families, or anyone else interested in the historic value of the writer’s correspondence.
The Decline Of Letter Writing
With the emergence of the electronic superhighway and specifically the introduction of the ability for people to send and use email on an everyday basis, people no longer had to wait weeks or months to get a letter or response from someone they longed to hear from, now we have this new ability to email and send our messages instantaneously. This development also meant that people no longer felt the need to spend time writing lengthy love letters and displaying their affection through the use of creative writing. The days of visiting a stationary store in search of the perfect writing paper and envelopes for displaying a hand-written letter with care and precision were bocoming virtually prehistoric. As the attention of people shifted towards the virtual world, the art of letter writing was slowly becoming a thing of the past, only the most die hard enthusiast of this once time honored tradition was keeping it alive--I mean, when you can send a message to someone half way across the world in a matter of seconds, who wants to wait? But this new way to communicate lacks any real tactile experience, no envelope or paper to feel and admire or handwriting to linger on and wonder about, no other momento included that might be loaded with personal and private meaning. Sadly this artform appeared to be slowly dying.
Paying Homage To This Artform
It's as if there is something about handwritten words that captures our hearts and minds; their display on billboards and signwriting is evidence enough for this nostalgic time. This affection and appreciation for handwritten words are even echoed in-store design. Window and interior displays often uses vintage typewriters or calligraphy pieces as props within their overall concept to evoke a certain emotion. It is clear that no matter the evolution of communication tools over time, there is still a place in our hearts for love letters and postcards sent through air mail. And so, this was the real inspiration behind the concept and design or “revival” for Seamless Concepts Love Letter Backdrop and Love Letter Backdrop (including airmail envelope at top of design). The possibility of injecting an old world artform into a new and modern era was to delicious to overlook. It works! the onlooker is drawn to the eye catching love letter used as a backdrop within a romantically imagined display, and thus begins to read it and in turn is compelled to enter the store or shop, or at least to make a mental note to return on a more suitable occasion.
Some Beautiful Thoughts Contained In Love Letters Throughout History
John Keats to Fanny Brawne -- I almost wish we were butterflies and lived but three summer days -- Three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.
Johnny Cash To June Carter-- Happy Birthday Princess, We get old and get used to each other. We think alike. We read each others minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit. Maybe sometimes take each other for granted. But once in awhile, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met. You still fascinate and inspire me. You influence me for the better. You're the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence. I love you very much. Happy Birthday Princess.
Napoleon Bonaparte to Joséphine de Beauharnais-- Since I left you, I have been constantly depressed. My happiness is to be near you. Incessantly I live over in my memory your caresses, your tears, your affectionate solicitude. The charms of the incomparable Joséphine kindle continually a burning and a glowing flame in my heart. When, free from all solicitude, all harassing care, shall I be able to pass all my time with you, having only to love you, and to think only of the happiness of so saying, and of proving it to you?
Juliette Drouet to Victor Hugo-- If only I were a clever woman, I could describe to you my gorgeous bird, how you unite in yourself the beauties of form, plumage, and song! I would tell you that you are the greatest marvel of all ages, and I should only be speaking the simple truth…You are not only the solar spectrum with the seven luminous colors, but the sun himself, that illumines, warms, and revivifies!
Frida Kahlo to Diego Rivera-- Nothing compares to your hands, nothing like the green-gold of your eyes. My body is filled with you for days and days. You are the mirror of the night. The violent flash of lightning. The dampness of the earth. The hollow of your armpits is my shelter. My fingers touch your blood. All my joy is to feel life spring from your flower-fountain that mine keeps to feel all the paths of my nerves which are yours.
Ludwig Van Beethoven to unknown "Immortal Beloved"-- Even in bed my ideas yearn towards you, my Immortal Beloved, here and there joyfully, then again sadly, awaiting from Fate, whether it will listen to us. I can only live, either altogether with you or not at all. Yes, I have determined to wander about for so long far away, until I can fly into your arms and call myself quite at home with you, can send my soul enveloped by yours into the realm of spirits — yes, I regret, it must be. You will get over it all the more as you know my faithfulness to you; never another one can own my heart, never — never! O God, why must one go away from what one loves so, and yet my life in W. as it is now is a miserable life. Your love made me the happiest and unhappiest at the same time. At my actual age I should need some continuity, sameness of life — can that exist under our circumstances? Angel, I just hear that the post goes out every day— and must close therefore, so that you get the L. at once. Be calm — love me — today — yesterday.
What longing in tears for you — You — my Life — my All — farewell. Oh, go on loving me — never doubt the faithfullest heart Of your beloved.
