February 14th, the day of red hearts and cupids! I've never understood why we only set aside one day per year to focus on one of the most important things in the world-LOVE! Seems to me everyday should be the day for expressing how much we love and care for others. With its paper cards and ribbon-tied boxes of chocolates, Valentine's Day is the most popular day for people to dine out. In fact, if you don't get a reservation a few weeks beforehand you may wait in line for hours to get a table at your favorite restaurant. But it's also a day when many expectations turn to disappointments. I remember when I worked a corporate job. Every woman hoped her lover remembered to get her something special. Even better if he had it delivered to the office so everyone else could see how much he loved her. The door was watched all day looking for the next flower van to drive up. The lucky employees would need assistance getting out the door at five o'clock with her unruly balloon cluster or water-filled vase of $75 roses. The unlucky ones clutched their empty lunch bags and hoped for better luck at home; that is, if they had anyone to go home to. The fourteenth forgotten, the next day brought the lucky ones in smelling of the latest designer fragrance either clutching their gourmet leftovers or brown bagging a Lean Cuisine proudly announcing, "I won't be going out for lunch today. I had too many delicious calories last night when my honey took me to the Divine Diner." One year our office offered the opportunity to purchase tulips through a charity organization. Everyone bought at least one stem since they were so inexpensive. Some people anonymously bought tulips for people who didn't normally get flowers or balloons on the big day for love. Nearly every desk was adorned with a beautiful array of colorful imported Dutch blossoms and the office was brightened up with an energy that lifted everyone's spirits. Everyone came out smelling like a rose--or tulip in this case! It's surprising that something as simple as buying a flower for someone at the office would spur such an abundance of caring gestures. Several employees brought in day-after boxes and trays of half-priced dark, sweet morsels to share with everyone. Valentine's Day is not the only day to show love. The time I got an unexpected bouquet of flowers at the office, I thought surely the delivery person had brought them to the wrong cubicle. It wasn't my birthday. It wasn't a holiday or any special occasion. My husband had given me a gift on a "non-gift" day! I was the talk of the entire first floor. Romance does not have to be a bottle of expensive wine, or a bouquet of flowers. It can be a phone call to say, "I love you," a homemade card, or simply doing the laundry for someone.
I doubt tomorrow's married woman will have a box full of yellowing love letters in a cardboard box in the attic. These memories will never be cherished be the long handwritten letter of a young man away at college for the first time or serving in the military.
How can they be? Today's love letters are electronic. Today's love letters are short, probably no more than 160 characters long tops. Today's love letters are sent by text message. I doubt there's much poetry involved either (now there's a definite improvement).
While young adults have long committed their love and commitment throughout the generations via pen and paper, writing with a pen and paper is so yesterday. And, then there's the problem of finding an envelope and a stamp with the correct value on it. In fact, recent studies show that only 5% of all written communication from 15 to 24-year-olds is done by pen and paper. The leader: text messaging followed by instant messaging and then email. Heck, even email is outdated today.
Today's courting, like the rest of life, is done on the run. The passion of yesterday's Valentine's Day love letters have morphed into text and instant message affection. Confessions once sealed in envelopes and sprinkled with perfume are now nothing more than a 37 character text message that will be cherished for...well until the recipient replaces his or her cell phone. And, the average American replaces his or her cell phone every 18 months.
The love letters of today will soon be gone forever. Unsaved emails disappear. Instant messages are gone almost immediately. Text message last until there is a newer, sexier, and sleeker Razor phone available. The army is even aware of this problem. The army is asking loved ones back home to save and print out any emails or text messages from service people overseas in Iraq or Afghanistan for chance that the unthinkable happens and lovers and young children will not know how much they were loved.
Of course, there are advantages to the electronic era. Young people in love are not going to carry around love letters in their purses or wallets. That would be really cheesey and there's always the possibility of these falling into the wrong hands. With a text message, however, they can check out their love letters whenever they are feeling down and need a lift, no matter where they are.
That's the real beauty of text messaging, isn't it? It's anytime, anywhere, anyplace. I guess love will survive after all.
Article Source :
About Author
Both Mary Bush & Robert Bentz are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.