Over the years and the explosion of new technology (internet, cell phones, texting, e-mail, etc), the art of writing is dying. Luckily, I have some proof that at one time it was the truest, best form of communication. I have a copy of a few of the letters that my dad wrote to my mom when they were still dating. Keeping in mind that English was my father's second language, I present to you a few letters (completely unedited) sent by my dad to my mom:
Thank you for the call from Washington D.C. last night. I was very worried about you and was very unhappy because I couldn't be with you there to give any comfort to my dearest one. After you were on the plane (UA 736), I was staring the big metal bird without knowing where you sat, and suddenly I became breathless for a while because of loneliness and unhappiness due to our separation, and big tear drops were coming down from my small eyes and were unable to control. I could bet (10 to 1) I would flood the airport if I didn't stop crying. But I cried time after time on the way home. I miss you very much, more than anyone can possibly imagine. From the minute you left my arms, I felt this emptiness in my heart which never happen before in my thirty-two years, and I know you are the only person in the whole-wide-world able to refill my empty hearth with joy and happiness because you LOVES me and I LOVES you. I have just talked with your sister Janet. She told me that it is the greatest thing for us to going to be married, I hope everyone feels that way for us. Jacquie, I love you and I miss you. I told you already several times why I haven't married to anyone. Since I came to the U.S. I have set certain goals and rules and standards in my life. I told myself that I would marry if and only if I achieve certain things: (1) I will not before I finish my educational goal, (2) I will not unless I have regain my health to perfectly normal, (3) I will not until I am financially stable and am able to take care of my family (you knew already these). Then I said to myself that I would marry a woman who must be strong (mentally & physically), and you are; who must be intelligent and smart, and you are; who must be trustworthy, and you are; who must be lovable, and you certainly are; who must possess charming personality, and you do; who must know how to search for happy life for future, and you know how;...many more...finally and most important consideration - who must be the only person to whom I can depend on rest of my life, from whom I can learn joy of living together, with whom I can find happiness in life, into whom I am the only man in her heart rest of her life, and you have already given me some, promised some, and I know you are the only woman who can give me more as years go by. When I went with you to the Rubenstein Concert (our first date) one month after I asked you for a date, my ESP worked wild, and I knew you are the woman. That is why I asked you to marry me. I know there are many possible problems, one is getting your parents blessing. They may not accept me, because of several reasons (health, race, religion, etc). Even though I love you very, very much, and I want to marry you, without your parents blessing I will not marry you. Because if I marry you without their blessing, your parents and you will be unhappy from the date you and I are looking for our future happiness, then the life around us becomes unhappy and I do not want that. I hope, hope your parents would give us the blessing we want so I can marry you and you and I can find our happiness for rest of our life together. I love you, Jacquie. I love you more and more as days go by. Even though I am having the most miserable and unhappy hours and days of my life, I love you, and I hope you have good time with your family. I will write you again and will cal you.
Take care of yourself and say "Hello" to your family for me.
Love, Jai
I just called you, but you were not at home, and your brother answered phone and said, "She isn't here, bye-." Then he hung up the phone before I could ask where did you go. I feel tired, very tired. I am tired, because I have waited your letter all day and I haven't got, and you were not home to answer me. I know you are busy shopping, etc. I though of you all day long and I thought and dreamed how happy I would be if you were beside me and loving me. I miss you more and more as days go by slowly. Only three days has gone, but it was like three long years. I miss you, I miss you, Jacquie, please hurry back to me.
What a lovely voice you have! What a sweet sound it was! I could sit by you listening your voice forever as sound coming from somewhere I have never been and I always want to go. I love you, I love your voice, I love your face, I love everything of you. After you called me, I went to bed right away, so I could see you in my dreams.
December 21, 1972
My dearest one,Thank you for the call from Washington D.C. last night. I was very worried about you and was very unhappy because I couldn't be with you there to give any comfort to my dearest one. After you were on the plane (UA 736), I was staring the big metal bird without knowing where you sat, and suddenly I became breathless for a while because of loneliness and unhappiness due to our separation, and big tear drops were coming down from my small eyes and were unable to control. I could bet (10 to 1) I would flood the airport if I didn't stop crying. But I cried time after time on the way home. I miss you very much, more than anyone can possibly imagine. From the minute you left my arms, I felt this emptiness in my heart which never happen before in my thirty-two years, and I know you are the only person in the whole-wide-world able to refill my empty hearth with joy and happiness because you LOVES me and I LOVES you. I have just talked with your sister Janet. She told me that it is the greatest thing for us to going to be married, I hope everyone feels that way for us. Jacquie, I love you and I miss you. I told you already several times why I haven't married to anyone. Since I came to the U.S. I have set certain goals and rules and standards in my life. I told myself that I would marry if and only if I achieve certain things: (1) I will not before I finish my educational goal, (2) I will not unless I have regain my health to perfectly normal, (3) I will not until I am financially stable and am able to take care of my family (you knew already these). Then I said to myself that I would marry a woman who must be strong (mentally & physically), and you are; who must be intelligent and smart, and you are; who must be trustworthy, and you are; who must be lovable, and you certainly are; who must possess charming personality, and you do; who must know how to search for happy life for future, and you know how;...many more...finally and most important consideration - who must be the only person to whom I can depend on rest of my life, from whom I can learn joy of living together, with whom I can find happiness in life, into whom I am the only man in her heart rest of her life, and you have already given me some, promised some, and I know you are the only woman who can give me more as years go by. When I went with you to the Rubenstein Concert (our first date) one month after I asked you for a date, my ESP worked wild, and I knew you are the woman. That is why I asked you to marry me. I know there are many possible problems, one is getting your parents blessing. They may not accept me, because of several reasons (health, race, religion, etc). Even though I love you very, very much, and I want to marry you, without your parents blessing I will not marry you. Because if I marry you without their blessing, your parents and you will be unhappy from the date you and I are looking for our future happiness, then the life around us becomes unhappy and I do not want that. I hope, hope your parents would give us the blessing we want so I can marry you and you and I can find our happiness for rest of our life together. I love you, Jacquie. I love you more and more as days go by. Even though I am having the most miserable and unhappy hours and days of my life, I love you, and I hope you have good time with your family. I will write you again and will cal you.
Take care of yourself and say "Hello" to your family for me.
Love, Jai
December 23, 1972
My dearest Jacquie,I just called you, but you were not at home, and your brother answered phone and said, "She isn't here, bye-." Then he hung up the phone before I could ask where did you go. I feel tired, very tired. I am tired, because I have waited your letter all day and I haven't got, and you were not home to answer me. I know you are busy shopping, etc. I though of you all day long and I thought and dreamed how happy I would be if you were beside me and loving me. I miss you more and more as days go by slowly. Only three days has gone, but it was like three long years. I miss you, I miss you, Jacquie, please hurry back to me.
What a lovely voice you have! What a sweet sound it was! I could sit by you listening your voice forever as sound coming from somewhere I have never been and I always want to go. I love you, I love your voice, I love your face, I love everything of you. After you called me, I went to bed right away, so I could see you in my dreams.
6 a.m. December 24, 1972
Good morning, Jacquie,
Did you have good-night-sleep? I dreamed of you all night long, mostly I was talking with you, your lovely face and two below which I love very much (yeah, pretty sure this is an X-rated reference...). I got up six this morning and hoped, but....I am going to Van Demark's for Christmas Eve dinner tonight. I hope I will be back before your call. You know, it makes me happy to think that you love me and I will talk tonight. I love you, I love you more and more as seconds tick away. Do you know how much I love you? I love you so much that my love to you will not stop even Mt. Everest moves and Mississippi river flows its direction. As I told you last night, I didn't have good time at Krafts. After one drink I felt very lonesome even though there were over thirty people, and after second drink, I knew I shouldn't be there without you. So I came home and cried for a while to calm down myself.
I love you, I miss you.
Take care of yourself,
Yours forever,
Jai
