downtown st. paul. the landmark center. three friends touring.
this was the setting.
we had been walking around, enjoying the historical, restored beauty of a building. we were avidly reading the signs and placards about the famous courtcases that took place in the building. Alvin "Creepy" Karpis (one of the most famous #1 most wanted, who actually went to Alcatraz prison). John Dillinger, and his fiancee. and several more. the history was astounding. the experience quaint.
we (it was only me, actually) were lamenting not having brought a camera to document the trip. but little did we know what adventures were in store for us that will only be held by our memories and one camera-phone picture.
near the end of our visit to the center, we came across a little display portraying the postal business also based out of the building. there were posters on the wall, and about eight old-school postal bags hanging under a glass slab. while my friends were reading the posters, i wandered to the bags to see if there was anything inside. the first one had a cardboard space-filler with a picture of old letters on it. slightly disappointed, i looked in the second one. but this one had a few REAL letters and a postcard or two on top! slipping my hand down into the bag, between the glass, i snatched the letters. i called the friends over, and showed them excitedly what i had discovered.
it was a love letter. postmarked november 1929. i felt the excitement well up inside me at the possibility of holding history in my hands.
at first we weren't sure it was real, thinking someone just wanted to make it look realistic. but as we looked in the other bags, there were more letters. from the same year, from the same people.
the next 45 minutes were spent reading and discovering more letters. they were from different times of year, extending into 1930. as we read bits and pieces, we tried to fit together the puzzle of the lives of two young lovers. each letter held declarations of love that to our movie- and book-jaded ears felt so simple and sweet.
here is their story:
to skip, love rube. planning a june wedding in november. she lived in washington, he in oregon. their love was strong. they missed each other like the desert misses the rain. they eloped. deciding to keep it a secret they wrote every day as husband and wife, hours and miles drive apart. they continued planning their wedding for june...for family appearances. phrases like, "there is not even one tiny piece of my heart that i could possibly give to anyone else" or "i miss you more than i ever thought i could miss anything in the whole world" or "i cannot think of anything else but you." their flowery words and heart-felt sentiments were a symbolic beacon for eachother, as they passed the time apart, waiting for the future. they asked advice on daily living and decisions and discussed their innermost thoughts and feelings. we were let in on a little sliver of two lives, witnessing the story that shaped their hearts and lives. i was giddy with excitement to discover the each fun detail of their daily living. it was like an old carol lombard/clark gable film. but for reals. it was touching. we were captivated.
oh to have this kind of undying love. a devotion that bound their hearts together forever. a secret that shaped their early years of marriage. a story that would be passed down for generations. and one that has touched lives of complete strangers, touring a museum.
skip and rube will never know that we read these letters, but their devotion is an example to me of the selfless and undying love of a man and his woman. in another parallel, it reminded me of how i am loved by the Man in my life right now. He rejoices over me (zeph 3:17) and i am His. how often do i tend to lose sight of the precious words of promise and lavishing He has for me. it becomes common-place. a little cliche to hear and give the words of love. but i want to be like skip and rube, declaring love and recieving love with abandon. no reservations. i know for a fact He deserves it. and i am coming to believe i am worthy of it as well. Thank you, my King for loving me.
"...but the greatest of these is love"
1 cor 13:13
this was the setting.
we had been walking around, enjoying the historical, restored beauty of a building. we were avidly reading the signs and placards about the famous courtcases that took place in the building. Alvin "Creepy" Karpis (one of the most famous #1 most wanted, who actually went to Alcatraz prison). John Dillinger, and his fiancee. and several more. the history was astounding. the experience quaint.
we (it was only me, actually) were lamenting not having brought a camera to document the trip. but little did we know what adventures were in store for us that will only be held by our memories and one camera-phone picture.
near the end of our visit to the center, we came across a little display portraying the postal business also based out of the building. there were posters on the wall, and about eight old-school postal bags hanging under a glass slab. while my friends were reading the posters, i wandered to the bags to see if there was anything inside. the first one had a cardboard space-filler with a picture of old letters on it. slightly disappointed, i looked in the second one. but this one had a few REAL letters and a postcard or two on top! slipping my hand down into the bag, between the glass, i snatched the letters. i called the friends over, and showed them excitedly what i had discovered.
it was a love letter. postmarked november 1929. i felt the excitement well up inside me at the possibility of holding history in my hands.
at first we weren't sure it was real, thinking someone just wanted to make it look realistic. but as we looked in the other bags, there were more letters. from the same year, from the same people.
the next 45 minutes were spent reading and discovering more letters. they were from different times of year, extending into 1930. as we read bits and pieces, we tried to fit together the puzzle of the lives of two young lovers. each letter held declarations of love that to our movie- and book-jaded ears felt so simple and sweet.
here is their story:
to skip, love rube. planning a june wedding in november. she lived in washington, he in oregon. their love was strong. they missed each other like the desert misses the rain. they eloped. deciding to keep it a secret they wrote every day as husband and wife, hours and miles drive apart. they continued planning their wedding for june...for family appearances. phrases like, "there is not even one tiny piece of my heart that i could possibly give to anyone else" or "i miss you more than i ever thought i could miss anything in the whole world" or "i cannot think of anything else but you." their flowery words and heart-felt sentiments were a symbolic beacon for eachother, as they passed the time apart, waiting for the future. they asked advice on daily living and decisions and discussed their innermost thoughts and feelings. we were let in on a little sliver of two lives, witnessing the story that shaped their hearts and lives. i was giddy with excitement to discover the each fun detail of their daily living. it was like an old carol lombard/clark gable film. but for reals. it was touching. we were captivated.
oh to have this kind of undying love. a devotion that bound their hearts together forever. a secret that shaped their early years of marriage. a story that would be passed down for generations. and one that has touched lives of complete strangers, touring a museum.
skip and rube will never know that we read these letters, but their devotion is an example to me of the selfless and undying love of a man and his woman. in another parallel, it reminded me of how i am loved by the Man in my life right now. He rejoices over me (zeph 3:17) and i am His. how often do i tend to lose sight of the precious words of promise and lavishing He has for me. it becomes common-place. a little cliche to hear and give the words of love. but i want to be like skip and rube, declaring love and recieving love with abandon. no reservations. i know for a fact He deserves it. and i am coming to believe i am worthy of it as well. Thank you, my King for loving me.
"...but the greatest of these is love"
1 cor 13:13
