tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post3755120803494080427..comments2023-11-18T04:41:02.841-08:00Comments on LauraFrantz.net: a most beautiful love letterLaura Frantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-48467466906566476912010-02-18T07:25:12.536-08:002010-02-18T07:25:12.536-08:00Renee, Isn't this an amazing letter! I'm t...Renee, Isn't this an amazing letter! I'm touched that it touched you. Reading it certainly does that for me. We have romantic hearts, I guess.<br />So happy to see you over in my neck of the woods here! I'm really enjoying your blog and can't wait to visit again!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-4984663793821223392010-02-17T20:35:00.706-08:002010-02-17T20:35:00.706-08:00Wow! I have to admit that it takes a whole lot to ...Wow! I have to admit that it takes a whole lot to make me cry and this is probably the first letter that I have ever read that has made the tears roll down my cheeks! This is so amazing and beautiful...what a love they must have shared! Thank you so much for sharing it!<br /><br />XOXO~ ReneeRenee (BlacknGoldGirlsBookSpot)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02701232799625814028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-77441738476043900192010-02-14T16:06:17.221-08:002010-02-14T16:06:17.221-08:00Keli, As a writer you really do see the beauty the...Keli, As a writer you really do see the beauty therein. Thanks to Michelle here, I dug a bit and found that he was only 32 when he passed away and his beloved Sarah was 22! And she never remarried. You are so right - what a gift of words with such lasting effect. Amen.Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-51626203654787414172010-02-14T16:02:16.996-08:002010-02-14T16:02:16.996-08:00I'd read that letter some years ago and was mo...I'd read that letter some years ago and was moved to tears. What a way with words Major Ballou had. He left Sarah a wonderful gift, one that has continued to bless readers for over a century and a half. Oh, to pen words that will have such a lasting effect . . .Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-25092755966419487952010-02-13T08:33:14.494-08:002010-02-13T08:33:14.494-08:00Virginia, That's so interesting about your gra...Virginia, That's so interesting about your grandfather. I'm so glad you've saved the treasures from his hand. My mom was just reminding me how my grandfather, born about the same time as yours, would take a pen and then, before he began to write, he would hold it and do this little flourish in the air before he put the pen to paper. Obviously the training they had in penmanship was very fine. An art, indeed:) Like the clothing from bygone eras, so much elegance and beauty have been lost!<br />Happy Valentine's Day to you and everyone!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-85507287561762721152010-02-12T17:49:16.543-08:002010-02-12T17:49:16.543-08:00Happy Valentine's Day to all : ) Letter writin...Happy Valentine's Day to all : ) Letter writing and penmanship are both mostly lost arts. My grandfather, born in 1906, was taught penmanship in school. While he was certainly a masculine, conservative gentleman, he wrote in beautiful, flowing script. Not flowery or feminine, but modestly elegant. I have saved as many samples of his handwriting as possible. Just one more thing to treasure about my "Paw Paw" : )Virginia Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09960370038323930029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-88901170095658361062010-02-12T17:39:00.926-08:002010-02-12T17:39:00.926-08:00AB, I am sad that it is so. The lack of fine writi...AB, I am sad that it is so. The lack of fine writing is even apparant between the generations. My son, who is 13, dislikes writing intensely and part of the reason is the focus on texting/twittering, etc. What I would give for a letter like this one, even without the romantic elements!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-63200223417574115712010-02-12T16:42:23.499-08:002010-02-12T16:42:23.499-08:00It's not often that you see letters written li...It's not often that you see letters written like that in our age I would say. Sadly, we are learning to express ourselves more and more with text message and twitter mentalities.Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-52971063816291119652010-02-12T06:55:55.831-08:002010-02-12T06:55:55.831-08:00Susan, This beautiful letter is a treasure. Sulliv...Susan, This beautiful letter is a treasure. Sullivan's story makes great novel material - only I think we writers would think of a happier ending. Or at the very least, his wife receives the letter and goes on with her life, thinking him dead, and then somehow, miraculously, he shows back up:)<br />Bless you for stopping by!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-72981192108417767252010-02-12T06:53:03.904-08:002010-02-12T06:53:03.904-08:00Michelle,
I'm so glad you told us the rest of ...Michelle,<br />I'm so glad you told us the rest of Sullivan's story here. Being a writer, I'm always reading between the lines and wonder if she didn't remarry because she knew no other man could measure up? Now I'm curious about his sons. Thanks so much for digging deeper and sharing it here!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-26085226022282707742010-02-12T06:50:52.310-08:002010-02-12T06:50:52.310-08:00Gin, It really is a heartbreaking letter and I hat...Gin, It really is a heartbreaking letter and I hated to type that final line of his death in the post. I agree with you whole-heartedly - men of that caliber shouldn't die. One of the big mysteries of this life. So glad to hear from you today!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-62406400640445597792010-02-11T19:08:56.902-08:002010-02-11T19:08:56.902-08:00I read this earlier today, and have not been able ...I read this earlier today, and have not been able to get it off my mind. The letter is absolutely beautiful. <br />I was curious so I googled Sullivan Ballou. According to the wikipedia article, he and Sarah had two sons. She never remarried, and she lived with one of their sons until she died in 1917. <br />Thanks for posting this.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05847510545827506148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-25941107981429367122010-02-11T17:33:53.365-08:002010-02-11T17:33:53.365-08:00Oh, I'd so hoped he survived. I'm sure his...Oh, I'd so hoped he survived. I'm sure his wife treasured the letter for the rest of her life.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />Susan :)Susan J. Reinhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461276857852409546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-19854161087443552102010-02-11T17:26:41.281-08:002010-02-11T17:26:41.281-08:00I was hoping at the end you would tell us he survi...I was hoping at the end you would tell us he survived. Sensitive, soulful, loving men like that should NOT die. It pains me to think what his wife must have felt, both when she read the letter and when she received word of his death. So sad.Ginhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14923792855029579884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-32154609311988192572010-02-11T17:18:32.152-08:002010-02-11T17:18:32.152-08:00Kav, I was hoping to hear from you here:) The real...Kav, I was hoping to hear from you here:) The realist/pessamist in me thinks that type of man is no more. But I want to believe there are men still out there like that - who are capable of that sort of love for family and country. Fits right into our hero list of a week or so ago.<br />Interesting that you would say that about my WIP. There are so many opportunities in all my books where I could take a dark turn (and am tempted). But I know that would affect readers terribly! So I'll keep my hero intact till the end, bless you.Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-80746331191321958912010-02-11T15:56:46.957-08:002010-02-11T15:56:46.957-08:00Hi Carla, So glad to hear from you:) Being a roman...Hi Carla, So glad to hear from you:) Being a romantic at heart like me, I thought you'd love the letter. I think Sullivan's letter is a little like the legacy of the widow's mite and Mary's perfume in Scripture - so full of the things that honor God that it was passed down to us. From the standpoint of his beautiful prose, he was a real hero!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-39698089715925886982010-02-11T15:54:00.251-08:002010-02-11T15:54:00.251-08:00Reading that letter gave me goosebumps. What a le...Reading that letter gave me goosebumps. What a legacy of love -- both for his wife and his country -- to leave to future generations. The emotions are so raw and real and seem larger than life. Do people love that way any more? I like to think so. But, Laura, don't get any ideas about killing off your Scotsman in your current WIP!Kavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03719229222267994577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-89243736920163882532010-02-11T13:54:19.564-08:002010-02-11T13:54:19.564-08:00That left me breathless. How beautiful. No wonder...That left me breathless. How beautiful. No wonder the letter still exists. His beloved must have treasured it always. May we treasure our own loves that way. Thanks so much for sharing this, Laura. Have a blessed day and thank you so much for your sweet friendship!Carla Gadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-52106978919148265222010-02-11T13:48:57.009-08:002010-02-11T13:48:57.009-08:00Brenda,
I thought you would appreciate his fine pr...Brenda,<br />I thought you would appreciate his fine prose - you have quite an ear for it. And it truly is a beautiful (and rare) example of what's important in life - sacrificial love is just the right phrasing.Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-38781703738651905382010-02-11T13:41:01.888-08:002010-02-11T13:41:01.888-08:00Edna, I'm so happy to enter you in the drawing...Edna, I'm so happy to enter you in the drawing for Courting Morrow Little. June is right around the corner! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I love my reading friends!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-71113998114012307182010-02-11T13:31:46.640-08:002010-02-11T13:31:46.640-08:00Yes, Mary, breathtaking is a good word. I wish I&#...Yes, Mary, breathtaking is a good word. I wish I'd thought of a few of his sentences myself. It does a romantic's heart good:)Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-14695370421063962802010-02-11T13:29:18.385-08:002010-02-11T13:29:18.385-08:00Wow. What an absolutely beautiful letter. His pros...Wow. What an absolutely beautiful letter. His prose ... his heart ... it's left me speechless. Thank you for sharing it today, showing us a true demonstration of sacrificial love.Brenda S. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03564745973330961790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-28018091343372297342010-02-11T12:20:55.865-08:002010-02-11T12:20:55.865-08:00Oh, that love letter is breath-taking! What a Val...Oh, that love letter is breath-taking! What a Valentine! Thanks for sharing with us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-64505098286297010602010-02-11T10:47:46.068-08:002010-02-11T10:47:46.068-08:00Great thoughts, Kristen. "An amazing epistle ...Great thoughts, Kristen. "An amazing epistle of love," for sure. And we really should appreciate every moment! Thanks for the reminder.Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-39833585254635268262010-02-11T09:46:45.819-08:002010-02-11T09:46:45.819-08:00OHHH! that is beautiful. What an amazing epistle o...OHHH! that is beautiful. What an amazing epistle of love. And what a great reminder to let those around us know of our love before it's too late.Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14683245998938431038noreply@blogger.com