Love Notes

This year we asked you to tell us about your favorite holiday traditions, what you were thankful for, and to tell someone you love that you love them. We've posted ahead of the love notes the tradition notes here for your enjoyment and sharing.

Your voices follow...

50+ years ago, my father had to pass a turkey farm with hundreds of turkeys milling around large penned yards along the road everyday on his way to and from work.

Dad was a very straight-laced man who slowed and stopped for yellow lights, never exceeded the speed limit, refused alcohol, and would go to superhuman lengths to avoid making a scene. Nonetheless, his left hand twitched nervously above the horn every time he passed that turkey farm. He was so tormented with this renegade urge to tootle at the turkeys that, for awhile, he took a different route.

Abashed at his weakness, Dad returned to the shorter, more convenient, turkey-infested route, determined to overcome his fledgling disorder. Summer passed and the numbers of turkeys gradually increased, spreading to even more pens. As Thanksgiving approached, Dad continued to wrestle with the demons in his hand.

He lost his battle one spectacularly bright morning when his hand finally descended and tapped out a sharp shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits. Thousands of turkeys leapt into the air and returned his salute. Tons of dust and feathers rose on the crest of the sound wave.

Dad's foot joined his hand in rebellion and floored the gas pedal. My sweet, rock-steady, law-abiding father burned rubber as he peeled away from the spreading chaos at the turkey farm.

Years later, he told me he did not dare pass the farm for months after. Every year, as Thanksgiving approaches, I treasure the memory of Dad's misadventure and am profoundly grateful that he had that brief moment of glorious anarchy.

gathering at my grandmother's house every year and spending time with my family...

My family is really close...so every year we all gather at my grandmother or aunt's house and have a huge dinner....there are usually 30 or 40 people there and sometimes relatives from out-of-state will come too....we have every kind of food imaginable...turkey, ham, 5 different kinds of potatoes, 6 different kinds of pies.....just a huge amount of food...and the same thing happens all over again at Christmas....it's my favorite time of the year because everyone realizes how important family is....

And now for the reason of the season... love...

Suzie you are a beautiful wonderful woman. I want to thank you for allowing me an oppertunity for however long to have been apart of it, may the love we share go on forever ....in my heart you will always stay and in my arms always be safe....I promise you ..you will always have my honesty and love as long as you want it May this be the best year ever for you
Happy New Year Doll
You and Kayne mean the world to me
Love always and forever
Tracy

Lindsay,
I know things have been a bit strange lately but I'll always love you. I always have loved you. I'm glad that you're happy even though it's not me that makes you that happy. No matter what happens I just wanted you to know that I will always love you. I've done so many things to mess everything up between us but I hope you'll forgive me someday. You'll always have a special place in my heart.

Hey! Mommy Love you much-The Teen

I Love You Mom!-Teen

I love you most, no, I love you most. No you love me most. OMG we are in love, both of you know, I love you ....... as it should be

I love you most, no, I love you most. No you love me most. OMG we are in love, both of you know, I love you ....... as it should

how do i love you my dear darling one, with some sulking when things doesn't go my way, with tender arms when it does. any way, i do love you.

Amber, I know we have had our ups and downs this past year with all of the changes I have gone thru but I just wanted you to know you will always be the most important thing in my life.. thank you for being YOU!

I LOVE YOU RON ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Happy Holidays to all!!! may the coming year bring us closer to our goal of World peace and harmony! Blessed be..in love and light, Naomi

fala la la la la la. I love you both.

i love you because you are beautiful

I may not always show this because I am wrapped up in trying to keep you fed and in warm clothing, but I love you my children very much, and pray that your futures are bright and joyful. I am very proud of you. Mommy.

[I love...] Everyone

Rainy I love you
with all my heart
You fill every part of me.
This being our first Christmas toghether
is special to me.

[I love...] Neil

I love Phyllis and Jen, my partner and daughter

I love you Cath. From the bottom of my heart.

Melissa,
I love you so deeply and so much that you are the only one for me.
Love Mary

Dear Jack,
I have come to love you more and more as time passes. You are a wonderful person!
Love,
AL

I love your gentle manner and your infinite patience.

[I love...] ABA WNBA

I love you Reb. You're my hiding place in the heavens, amid a crowd of stars. You are laughter and dancing among a world of funerial posers. I love that you risk ridicule and gossip and speculation to live deep to the marrow. I love that you seem to make me fall in love with you all over again every day. I love your loyalty and faith in me, even through times that stretch taunt the cords of unspoken, but understood vows. Take my hand and walk out of the tunnel with me into the light that you always said would be there. With infinite love, Jade

Jade, I love you. When I was a child, with the faith of a child, I believed I would always be loved, despite the fact I grew up isolated from affection. As I grew older, that belief was tested and trampled by people poisoned with greed and insecurities who took gleeful advantage of my faith in the goodness of people and my innocence about the world's evils. When you met me I had nearly lost that faith that had given me joy and strength as I grew up amid tough circumstances.

You rescued me - not just from the towering snake who trapped me, and not just by feeding me cheesecake. You saved me from myself, and restored to me, despite the irony of your cynicism with the church, my faith. You stopped my foot as I nearly stepped over the edge to a chemical escape I may never have returned from.

You told me I was beautiful, something no one else had ever said to me. You taught me I had worth, something I found hard to believe at first. You held me when I cried myself to sleep countless nights, holding photos of my kids, as I lost my children because I was honest about being gay, and danced with me as I gained back my relationship with them - returning them to my life regardless of where they lived.

You forgave me when scared of the future I nearly left you. You understood I was a free spirit, unable to live in a cage or trapped, and set me free only to learn love isn't a trap, it's a true freedom.

The vows we share have never been spoken aloud before witnesses, but here and now I speak them for all the world to read. Jade, I love you. I want to share all my days and all my nights with you as we grow wrinked and grey, but never old. Your love keeps me forever young, forever at peace. No matter what is legal or what is "socially acceptable," we are wives now and forever. What love has brought together, no force of humankind can tear asunder. And no force of time - we've done this before - and will again, in our next lives. I vow to you Jade my love, my faith, and to share with you my life now and forever, my beautiful wife. - Reb

i love you for the person you are and who'll you turn out to be

Hi Vamp,
Love you, mind and body, today and evermore.
Sunshine

To the Una of my life

NancyLynn,
I love you for your understanding.
I feel I can be completely honest with you.
Thanks, love.
Your friend Ab

Mom, even though you drive me crazy sometimes, I really do love you. The kid.

Sis, you're the only one I got. Good thing I love you too. The kid sis.

Fatkitty we love you. Whoever's soul you are the reincarnation of, you're a pretty dang good person - may you have a long and frisky life.