Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Love Letters Sealed with a Kiss

                                 

Years ago, when I had cancer, my family and friends back in the States wrote me letters of courage. Jackie Lane, an acquaintance from my hometown, had a niece who had suffered cancer… Jackie took it upon herself to be my hero, writing me three to four times a week until my cancer ended. Jackie held my hand in those letters, she sent love for no other reason except to say I am with you, hold on!

The letters from Jackie, plus the many other generous letters I received, I glued on my bedroom walls creating an extraordinary wallpaper! My healing cocoon!

When is the last time you sent a love letter? A love letter for no other reason except to say I love you? Have you received a love letter from yourself? Would it be several pages long? Where is your pen and paper?

photo: Vintage French postcards and prayer cards from my collection.

Comments

33 responses to “Love Letters Sealed with a Kiss”

  1. Britt-Arnhild

    What a wonderful gesture of your friend to help you through your cancer. And how creative to glue the letters to your wall!
    I have been a hooked letter writer all my life, there is almost never a day without me writing a letter…
    Thanks for another lovely post.

    Reply
  2. Jeanne

    I love hand written notes and cards. More than words letters mingle souls.
    I am sorry to hear you suffered from cancer. I hope you remain healthy and happy
    for many years to come.
    God bless you and your precious family real good!
    Love Jeanne
    I have pens and paper all over the place as I have been writing letters non stop since Mom went to Heaven!
    My friends say to me they cherish my letters and cards!
    I am happy everyone appreciates it as I put a lot of great thought and effort into what I send!
    Love you

    Reply
  3. diana

    ….. a healing cocoon…love that !! I love to receive letters too…and I do write… but not everyday

    Reply
  4. Becca

    Written letters are a lasting treasure. I have stacks of love letters my husband and I wrote to each other when we were in college years ago. They are in pretty boxes alongside letters his parents wrote to each other early in their relationship. Thanks for the reminder to write more – I’m off to find some lovely paper and I know just the person who needs a beautfiul present in their mailbox today 🙂

    Reply
  5. Paris Parfait

    Love letters are the most romantic form of correspondence ever imagined. It’s sad that the speed and ease of e-mail has made it preferable to send e-mail. I still write notes and letters by hand to thank people, but most of my correspondence is via e-mail – a matter of time, not preference. I like the idea of you creating your own wallpaper with the love letters from your friends and family. Nothing, but nothing matches the charm of the love letter – or any letter from a friend. xo

    Reply
  6. swampgrrl

    what a lovely idea.
    getting my pen out now. i need to send love to my sister, Sue.

    Reply
  7. sandig

    This post brings it all back… My mother has a large wicker basket full of all of the notes and cards she recieved while she was in chemo. Not a day went by without a new encouragement coming in the mail.There were days that she was not able to open or read her little love notes – so I would open them and read them to her… Why does it take a crisis to pull us all together in such a beautiful way. Life should be full of such beauty always. I am thankful for my mother. She is an example of peace and friendship, courage and honor. I will never regret the days spent holding her hand while while she was walking thru the valley. Life IS beautiful… every moment – is a gift.
    We just came home from vacation – our time away included a jaunt to Gwen Frostic – beautiful handmade cards and papers for writing. Now the real challenge comes. Sending them off to share beauty with others.
    Thanks for the encouragement!

    Reply
  8. candy

    I used to write notes to people all the time. I don’t so much anymore and that was pointed out to me just the other day. Maybe God is trying to tell me something. It’s such a small gesture with such huge ramifications. Thanks Corey.

    Reply
  9. Jos

    Why…I just wrote a love letter today! This is something I do often, I am compelled. I don’t ever recieve them, though…

    Reply
  10. ParisBreakfasts

    I’m sending a big smoochy one now!!!
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    🙂

    Reply
  11. susan

    getting it out now….

    Reply
  12. JinxTheGypsy

    A beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. dkmp9293

    One Christmas about 15 years ago, I wrote a letter to each one of my grandmothers telling them all of my memories of them–that was my gift to them that year. I told them what each memory meant to me and why it was special to me.
    One of my grandmothers responded and told me how much she enjoyed reading my letter and thanked me for sharing it with her. I’m so glad I did it.
    I still think about that, and it’s on my “should do” list for my parents and sister and husband & children.
    Putting thoughts in writing keeps them forever with the intended person.

    Reply
  14. juju

    How wonderful!

    Reply
  15. AJ

    What a wonderful friend.

    Reply
  16. cruststation

    I love your postcard collection! Glad you were surrounded by loved ones in times of suffering and that you pulled through. I do love receiving snail mail, it’s a lost art these days. I have my secret stash of love letters covered with stickers and written on beautiful letterpaper somewhere 🙂

    Reply
  17. Linda Harre

    We all need to take your advice. So important, since we can’t really love others until we love ourselves. Love all the links you always include! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  18. Amber

    “Hold a true friend with both hands.” — Nigerian proverb
    Beautiful and dear.
    I do love to send beautiful cards more than emails. 😉
    🙂

    Reply
  19. Lisa

    oh what an amazing thing it is to be bolstered by someones written word. I haven’t actually “written” a letter (due to email) is a very long time and lately have been thinking I need to go back to it. To have a letter in the post box someone took the time to sit, pen and paper in hand, to send you love and friendship, is worth its weight in gold. You are proof of the healing properties of that not only for health but in mental well being.
    xoxo

    Reply
  20. la vie en rose

    when we went on vacation in july i bought a post card it meant to use to write a love letter to myself. i never did it. i think i’ll sit down sometime this week and get that done…

    Reply
  21. Connie

    This is something I can never do enough of…thanks for the reminder. Don’t think I could send one to myself though.
    Take care,
    Connie

    Reply
  22. susanna

    What a beautiful soul! Jackie certainly is an angel.

    Reply
  23. mary ann

    corey i’m so glad that you had those wonderful letters to get through your ordeal w/ cancer…
    i just received a a few letters & cards just today from co-workers telling me how much i will be missed, that i was a pleasure to work with & one close work friend even wrote how she will feel empty now that i won’t be there to help her get through the day!
    yes, words of love & kindness are powerful stuff>>>working their magic & intensifying the joy in our hearts.
    you do that every day with your posts corey…& i know that my heart sings with joy!
    xo, mary ann

    Reply
  24. MARYBETH

    ((((COREY))
    i like “cocoon of Love” thats what I called my time with Sarah and Sadie.
    I guess it makes sense that the package to them today contained loved letters
    Xo
    mb

    Reply
  25. Elaine

    My beautiful grandchildren send me love letters. My youngest granddaughter, only six, made a purse from paper and ribbon and inside she put all sorts of faces that she had made…smiles, frowns, laughing, etc. I laughed so hard when I pulled out the faces with their varying details. I wonder how long she sat in front of the mirror making faces at herself to draw for me. She’s such a funny little duck!

    Reply
  26. wendy

    Oh wow Corey, I am so sorry you had cancer. And so glad it is no longer.
    The love letters creating a healing cocoon for you is such a healing image. It reminds me of the caves bears go in to dream through the darkness of winter. They know where the healing is….

    Reply
  27. Sandy

    What a wonderful true friend. I’m sorry that you had to go through having cancer but I hope it was a very long time ago & you are completly well now. I’ve become lazy with email I’m afraid but have just a few older friends that I write to, not often enough though.

    Reply
  28. Kit

    I used to write letters a long time ago when I was at boarding school. I wrote so that people would write back, letters were a lifeline to the outside world of friends and family. I hardly write at all these days, letters that is, all my writing goes onto my computer for my blog and email. Thanks for reminding me to get back to pen and paper, envelopes and stamps. THe sending of a physical letter embued with love is so much more powerful than electronic words.

    Reply
  29. Kit

    PS I’m sending some love for you too, electronically but still love!

    Reply
  30. Colette

    Thank you, Corey chérie, for the link. I think you deserve a letter through the mail….
    xoxo

    Reply
  31. daniela miotto-brown

    Love letters: yep, they work, don’t they.
    I was just on the porch having a think and thought of a love letter to my brother.
    Thanks for the notes on my blog. I really apreciate it. They are kind of like love letters, in a way, in an appropriate and sincere way.
    thank you.
    d

    Reply
  32. angela

    corey, i can’t tell you the tear nor the smiles that were on my face as i read this… the soft beauty and grace in your words, in the thoughts you provoke, gently evoke. and yes, like writing love letters to the self.
    and i hadn’t realised that you had gone thru cancer. i could have just hugged you upon reading that. especially after just coming back from an evening with patti, who herself has been thru the cancer twice, and came back more beautiful, more stronger, more glorious… and i think of her as a gift given.
    and you, just like those sweet angels on those cards, are an angel with your words and with your heart too.
    oxo
    ang.

    Reply
  33. julie

    Went to see Jackie, the 9th of Sept was here birthday, I copied your blog for her. She cried. She herself has cancer and she said to me, I feel so alone right now. She really has been through alot in her life and now another hill to climb. She knows she is dying and probably won’t see next birthday. She said as she saw your blog, she remembered. I think it would be nice to mail Jackie a letter, her address is 1050 Elm, Willows, CA 95988. You made a sad day, brighter. Thanks.
    Tongue in Cheek Responds: Thank you Julie for Jackie’s address,I will write and my prayers will hold her as her kindness held me years ago.

    Reply

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