The Immortal Beloved Letters

Reading Beethoven's letters to his "immortal beloved" causes me to think about how much things have changed in the last 200 years since these letters were written. Does anyone write love letters anymore? Does anything ever come in the mail anymore except bills, junk mail, and the occasional Hallmark greeting card?

When did we forget the beauty of the written word? Our communications these days are instantaneous. We've lost the ability to focus our minds, our attention, our affections. We are too busy texting and sexting. "My immortal beloved" has become "my bitch." Or worse yet, "my midnight booty call."

I can't remember the last time anyone said to me, "My heart is full of so many things to say to you...," but it's been merely days since I last heard, "Show me your boobs."

I can't help but feeling that something important, something beautiful has been lost.

Letter 3

Good morning, on July 7

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V[ienna] is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.

ever thine
ever mine
ever ours

L.

For text to the other two letters, visit www.edepot.com/beetletters.html