Presidential Love: Harry & Bess Truman
Yesterday, we celebrated President’s Day and in honor of that holiday, I posted a beautiful letter from one of our most beloved presidents, Ronald Reagan, to his wife, Nancy. We’ve become so accustomed to hearing negative assessments of our presidents we forget they are also human beings capable of fully loving another. In the US, it is typical of the opposing parties to dehumanize each other and it’s not until after a president leaves office that we truly begin to weigh their accomplishments most accurately. That was certainly the case with Reagan.
But even before his own party, as well as the opposing party decided to honor him, he was loved and honored by his wife. Throughout his years in office, he continued to take solace in the comfort and counsel of Nancy. This morning, I
wanted to continue a theme of couples married for more than 40 years who have written love letters throughout their marriage.
In my search, I found dozens of love letters from our 33rd president, Harry Truman, to his wife Bess. So even though President’s Day ended yesterday, for us it will continue at least one more day as we celebrate another presidential love story.
Married for 53 years, until the time of President Truman’s death at age 88, they maintained their love. For 50 years they continued to write letters to each other. Beautiful letters which conveyed not only their trust in one another but their never-ending love.
The only challenge with President Truman’s letters is he wrote like a doctor. Have you ever read a doctor’s notes? Impossible! I don’t know if writing illegibly is a prerequisite for being a doctor but I’ve never met a doctor whose handwriting I could read.
The letter below is, by far, the most legible one I could found. I will do my best to transcribe it but can’t guarantee it will be perfect. What will be clear, however, is their love for one another.
Dear Bess:
I got your letter this morning and I can tell you I most certainly appreciated it. I am very glad you like the flowers and only wish they could have been more.
If I could have been in town I’d have sent you some fresh ones every day. I am hoping that you’ll be up very soon so I can get to see you. It has been so long since I last…
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I had to end at transcribing page one (the photo here) but you can read more of these letters to and from, visit the presidential library here. These letters, as well as the others I will post this week, remind us that love for our spouse will continue to blossom and grow throughout the years so long as we nurture and care for it daily.
Until tomorrow…make it a great day!
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Fawn Weaver
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