I recently watched an anime called Violet Evergarden. It is about a girl who fought in a terrible war that tries to understand the phrase "I love you" by ghostwriting letters, songs, or plays for clients that need her help.
This anime changes my view of letters. There is more to writing, sending, and reading letters. Letters send the person's thoughts and emotions to the recipient. The best part is when the recipient reads the letter and takes in the thoughts and emotions. Even though the person is not the one who wrote it, what matters is the recipient knowing what the person wants to tell them.
This also changes my view of ghostwriting. Ghostwriting helps those who have trouble writing or expressing their feelings. In one episode, a playwright needs Violet's help to write his play. The episode reveals that he has trouble writing the play because he is mourning the death of his daughter. In another episode, a soldier who gets brutally wounded in a rebellion requests Violet to write letters to his parents and lover. He is sorry that he will not come back to them and wants them to know how much he loves them. Sadly, he dies and Violet gives the letters to his family and lover. They are grateful for what she has done for him.
Why is she doing this? In the war, Violet has no parents. A man takes care of her and she has to address him as Major. The major tells her that he loves her when they get brutally wounded in the last battle. The major is missing after Violet recovers from the war. Violet remembers him and wants to know where he is. Unfortunately, she cannot find him. She is told that he is dead but in one of the movies, he is alive and living somewhere else. As she remembers him, she wants to know what "I love you" means. She sees the ghostwriting job as a way to help her understand that. She becomes successful and well-known as a ghostwriter. One day, she wants to tell or write a letter to the major about her feelings for him.
If you want, you can give this anime a try. It is a touching and sentimental anime. It will make you cry and change your perception of love.
