Why Words That Last Still Matter
I’ve never been a big Valentine’s Day person. Yes, I enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries — but it doesn’t have to be Valentine’s Day for me to enjoy those!
What I do love, though, is connection.
When I was researching Shades of Gray, I spent a lot of time reading old love letters—real ones, written by hand, often under impossible circumstances.
What struck me wasn’t just how romantic they were. It was how intentional they felt. These weren’t quick messages dashed off between distractions. They were words meant to be reread. Saved. Carried.
Some of the men writing them were famous generals, but on the page they didn’t sound like military leaders at all. They sounded like husbands. Sweethearts. People trying to stay connected across distance and uncertainty.
(And it didn’t have to be Valentine’s Day for them to sit down with pen and paper).
One line from Stonewall Jackson has always stayed with me:
“Darling, my heart turns to you with a love so great that pain flows in its wake…”
Today, most of our communication disappears as fast as we send it. Texts are convenient—and I’m certainly guilty of relying on them—but they don’t always leave something behind.
So if Valentine’s Day means anything to me, it’s taking a moment to say something that lasts.
A few handwritten lines. A note tucked into a book. Words meant to be kept.
Sometimes that kind of connection matters more than anything you can buy.
Wishing you and yours a very Happy Valentine’s Day 💌
—Jessica
Want to read some love letters from the Civil War? Check out From the Heart: Love Letters and Stories from the Civil War. ❤
