dearest william,
can you believe it has been thirty years since we got married in macon? oh my, so much has happened in these years! it is humorous how life is a full circle. almost thirty years ago, we fled georgia and now here we are, back in the land that shamefully drove us away with its cruelty and harshness.
we have grown so much together. you are the reason that i am free and happy today. i still have flashbacks to our escape. i still remember how much i sobbed fearfully in your chest upon our departure. i was so scared, but we had each other and we believed that the lord was on our side. you are the reason that i have five beautiful children, none of whom are enslaved, and i no longer worry about having my children taken away from me. we learned how to read and write together, and our lecture tours allowed me to see more of the world than i ever imagined possible.
we have done much for the abolitionist movement, and although i wish that we could have done more, living a life in the spotlight often made me feel as though certain parts of our story were more important than others. it often seems that our relationship is contorted as a result of the popular nature of the story of our escape. but our love story is ours, it belongs to no one else.
you make me feel young. i laugh when you are around and even after all of these years, you still know how to make me blush. i know that you have faced so much being a black man in america, especially that you are married to me, a white-passing woman. it broke my heart that you had to pretend to be my slave. it still breaks my heart when we are walking somewhere together and people looked at you with barely disguised aversion. it is during those moments that i will weave my fingers gently into yours, pull you closer, and kiss you tenderly on the cheek.
you are my sunshine. may god bless you and keep you happy and strong for me and the children.
i love you so very much.
your wife,
ellen
can you believe it has been thirty years since we got married in macon? oh my, so much has happened in these years! it is humorous how life is a full circle. almost thirty years ago, we fled georgia and now here we are, back in the land that shamefully drove us away with its cruelty and harshness.
we have grown so much together. you are the reason that i am free and happy today. i still have flashbacks to our escape. i still remember how much i sobbed fearfully in your chest upon our departure. i was so scared, but we had each other and we believed that the lord was on our side. you are the reason that i have five beautiful children, none of whom are enslaved, and i no longer worry about having my children taken away from me. we learned how to read and write together, and our lecture tours allowed me to see more of the world than i ever imagined possible.
we have done much for the abolitionist movement, and although i wish that we could have done more, living a life in the spotlight often made me feel as though certain parts of our story were more important than others. it often seems that our relationship is contorted as a result of the popular nature of the story of our escape. but our love story is ours, it belongs to no one else.
you make me feel young. i laugh when you are around and even after all of these years, you still know how to make me blush. i know that you have faced so much being a black man in america, especially that you are married to me, a white-passing woman. it broke my heart that you had to pretend to be my slave. it still breaks my heart when we are walking somewhere together and people looked at you with barely disguised aversion. it is during those moments that i will weave my fingers gently into yours, pull you closer, and kiss you tenderly on the cheek.
you are my sunshine. may god bless you and keep you happy and strong for me and the children.
i love you so very much.
your wife,
ellen
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