Love Letter #1

background

S was studying abroad in Greece; L was a camp counselor in the Southern US. Two months earlier, they had kissed; they had decided to stay together initially but by the summer, they needed time and space to figure themselves out - their sexualities, their spiritualities, their families, and whether they were ready to take such a huge risk in coming out. While S was abroad, they were officially "broken up," but emailed every day as they discerned what to do. Three years later, they've made a life together. In this particular email, S thought she would be without internet access for the next ten days (the horror!).

the letter

I love you so much. I'm going to print [your email] and write back and then email it to you when I get a chance. Sorry you don't get the luxury of having a long email to read like you gave me.

I love you. I miss you but I'm glad we will be able to focus on living with those near us for the next 10 days. I'm glad we are full whole people without each other, and I'm glad that together we're stronger.

You are beautiful, strong, courageous, determined, insightful, intelligent, keenly observant, passionate, compassionate, aware, loving, faithful, fierce; you belong to yourself and to God and to everyone with grace and no loss of self; you are divinely meant; you are beloved to God and to me and to others; you are L* R* and I love you dearly. That is not a "love her dearly but..."** It is an I love you.

talk to you soon. 10 days is nothing, I promise, and our separation is good.

i love you
s*

** "Love her dearly but..." is a traditional US Southern way of assuring someone that you are not gossipping, you are talking behind someone's back for his/her own good.