My favorite aunt died February 2008. She had some love letters from an old beau that apparently broke her heart. She didn't have any children of her own, but married her 2nd husband in 1974 so then had 2 stepsons and lots of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After she died, one of the daughter-in-law's sent the love letters (along with other family pictures) to my dad. My dad died in November, 2008.

I am not sure what to do with the letters. I have not read them. On one hand they are kind of a family legacy, but on the other hand would feel like I am invading her privacy if I were to read them. Part of me thinks I should destroy them and allow them to die a quiet death, yet I am not sure.

Would appreciate some suggestions on how to handle these letters. Thanks.

awwww that's sad and sweet all at the same time

I would keep em

Becca got some stuff like that from her grandma and was so touched by it that she wrote a book about it

I know, have had them since my aunt died, just not sure how to deal with them. Thanks for your input.

Sounds like a great book.

i would keep them...and yes, i'd read them.

i'd feel it brought me closer to a different side of someone i held dear.

Keep them...They meant something once. They may mean something to someone else in the future

Read them...

Could be a wonderful novel in the works

Or just something to hold dear to your heart

She was my favorite aunt, I always fantasized about running away to live with her (wanted to be an only child). She was awesome and her "adopted" family she married into is awesome too, she was so lucky to have them in her life and they were lucky to have her too.

Guess I will "muster up" the courage and read the letters. Was just a little uncomfortable about them.

Thank you all for your input.

it'll bring her to an even more personal level to you...

and you can't invade her privacy, as the dead give up that notion...

I would suggest that U keep them for they hold great sentimental value.Oh! & if I may,I would like to suggest a novel for U to read.Once U read this U will understand completely why I recommended it.Trust me! U will Luv it.The book is titled"Sam's Letters To Jennifer"by James Patterson.Godspeed!Cy

Ditto that, and the life lessons yet learned.

Thank you, I will look into that book. I appreciate the input.

So often we see parents and their generation very differently than who they truly were. We see Uncle, Aunt, Older Cousin.

Other people knew them as lovers, friends, close confidants, as connections to events that time has forgotten, to stories that rival the best fiction has yet to offer.

Read them, see your Aunt through different eyes.
You'll see yourself differently too.

My Dad and Mum died within 3 months of each other....and when my brother and I packed up their life, we found all the letters my dad wrote to my mum, when he was posted in Japan during world war 2 and they were still courting.

I also found the wedding invitation my dad sent to my mum...for their wedding.


I never knew my folks were romantic....that at some time in their lives they had been gentle open hearted romantics....it was an insight into the young people they were.


And soothed many of my own hurts, through reading them.

Your dad sounded like a special man, and very romantic, what an insight into your parents' early lives and so special.

I am going to make some special quiet time to sit down and read them. Have been putting it off.

Thank you all for your input.

The letters must have been very important to her or she would have thrown them away along time ago. I would read them, she may have left them on purpose.

Marie....this poem which I adore feels as though it is appropriate here...




I Carry Your Heart.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)
i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings

I have to agree.

Some new perspectives....and pieces of family history....I'd keep them and read them.

Ohhhhhhhhh girl keep them what a great book they could make "Love Letters from the Past"

And for sure sit down and read them what a smile they are surely to bring to your face......