Belated birthday letter for your girlfriend

Letter · Girlfriend

You were sweet about it. You told me not to worry. That is exactly why I feel so bad, because you would never let my birthday slip by without a fuss, and you deserved the same from me. I want you to know what I see when I look at you, since I did not say it on the day. I see someone who sends voice notes to her grandma every week. Someone who remembers my coworkers' names and asks how they are doing. Someone who dances in the kitchen while the pasta boils and does not care who is watching. You are warm, funny, brave and so much more thoughtful than you give yourself credit for. I am lucky. Really lucky. I do not want to be someone who takes that for granted, not even for a day. So your birthday do-over starts this weekend, and I have planned every part of it. All you have to do is enjoy it. With all my heart, and a reminder already set for next year,

Belated birthday · 176 words · 1 min read

Letter · Girlfriend

I found the birthday card I bought you three weeks ago in my desk drawer yesterday, still blank. I had it ready. I just never wrote in it, and the day slipped past me. I am so sorry. Of all the people who should have made your birthday feel special, I should have been first in line. So I am writing in it now, and it turned into this letter, because a few lines on a card did not feel like enough anymore. You make the world feel softer. When I have had a bad day, you somehow know before I say anything. You send me songs that turn out to be exactly what I needed. You are stubborn about the things that matter and easygoing about the things that do not, and I wish I could be more like that. You are also the only person who can make me laugh so hard I cry in a grocery store. I cannot give you back your birthday morning. But I can give you a weekend away at the beach town you love, already booked, and a promise that next year you will wake up to me singing badly at your door. Happy belated birthday, my love. All of me,

Belated birthday · 211 words · 1 min read

Letter · Girlfriend

Hey you, This is me, officially owning the most embarrassing mistake of our relationship so far. I missed your birthday. You were gracious about it, which honestly made it worse, because it reminded me how kind you are and how much better I should have done. I am really sorry. I keep thinking about the little things you do without being asked. The snacks you pack for me on long drives. The way you text my mom happy holidays before I even remember. How you always leave the last episode of our show unwatched until we can see it together. You make me feel looked after every single week. I want you to feel the same, and not just on the days I remember. So I made you a list of make-up plans, and you get to pick the order. A sunset picnic with your favorite cheeses. A pottery class, because you keep saying you want to try it. A night at the karaoke bar, where I will sing anything you choose. And one quiet evening at home with candles, takeout and no phones. Happy belated birthday, my favorite person. I promise this is the last birthday I will ever be late for. With love, and a phone full of reminders,

Belated birthday · 211 words · 1 min read