Love and emotions are abstract concepts so you need “furniture” to make it real. Your movie gives you this material. Relate juicy details of surrounding scenery, your love, what all your senses experience and add them to your love letter.

Now put it all together.

Instead of "When you walk into a room and smile at me, I forget what I'm thinking," add furniture. "You quietly glide into sunlight streaming through window, your silky hair falls over your shoulder. And then you gently tilt your head towards me and flash me that quirky little half smile of yours that gets my heart beating faster, my lips tingling . . . and I forget everything I ever knew as our eyes meet and lock into an embrace."

No fancy words, there’s only two words that have three syllables!

The "Laundry List" technique If you find this difficult to do, using "laundry list" technique to write a love letter may be easier. Simply list all qualities you appreciate about your love: physical, emotional, gestures, favorite sayings, funny habits. For physical, start at top of their head and work down to their toes. For emotional, list different situations and how their response makes you feel.

Or you could make a list of all dreams you both have and how you want to be together to share them.

Find a clip art heart (usually available in a word processing program) and use it as a bullet before each item in your list. Or give it a number, “101 Ways I Love You.” Then print out your list on fancy paper. Add a photo of you both, either digitally or glue it on afterwards. Spray on a little cologne (at a distance) and, voila, you have a romantic love letter.

Love Poems A love poem can be most daunting to attempt and many won't even try. If you really want to make up a poem, but feel you have no talent, cheat a little! Look up a favorite poem and see if you can change a few lines to personalize it. Or do same with a favorite song lyric, then perform it karaoke style. Go all out and dress up for occasion.

If you have a special occasion you’re celebrating, you may want to have a poet put your feelings into a formal poem for you. Reciting poem will make a bigger impact than just handing it over and as it may be gift wrapped, make sure you have a copy to read aloud.

Once you get hang of it, romantic love letters will flow from your heart and fingers. Remember little kid in you and keep it simple.

Copyright 2005 Renee Michaels

Renee Michaels uses her design, writing and life skills to develop web businesses. For romantic anniversary ideas, visit LoveGifts.

Some people can commute and maintain a relationship, but this was not realistic for Rhonda and Fred, since they both wanted to have children. They realized that if either of them gave up work they loved, they would feel very resentful. They had no choice but to end relationship. Even though they loved each other, they recognized that their relationship would soon erode if one of them gave themselves up.

BETRAYAL

Dishonesty and infidelity can often be deal-breakers, depending upon situation. Some people can learn from and grow through these difficult situations, while for others wound is too deep to repair.

Mandy and Hal were in their 50’s when they met and fell in love. Both were in unhappy long-term marriages, which they decided to leave to be with each other.

However, Hal had married when he was very young. He had spent his life working hard to support his wife and children. He had never had an opportunity to do some of things he really wanted to do – like travel on his own or explore relationships with other women. He loved Mandy but he felt trapped. He wanted his freedom.

As a result he started to pull away from Mandy, which was very painful for her. They received counseling to try to reconcile situation. Mandy was willing for Hal to leave and travel for six months, but Hal was reluctant to leave Mandy. Mandy had not expected a man in his 50’s to need to sow wild oats.

Then Mandy found out that Hal had slept with another woman. His pulling away was bad enough, but his infidelity was a deal-breaker. Mandy ended their relationship day she discovered affair. She told Hal that she still loved him but could not continue this way. She left door open by telling him that if he ever got his wanderlust out of his system, she would consider trying again.

Dishonesty about money can also be a deal-breaker, such as finding out that your mate is earning money by selling drugs or through some other illegal operation.

Most conflicts – conflicts that are really about communication and control issues – can be resolved when both people are willing to learn. But some conflicts are true deal-breakers.