Some of the earliest records of love letters can be found in the Bible's Song of Solomon, or in the ancient Indian text the Bhagavata Purana. Every culture and creed seem to have some version of the love letter, and humans of all ages could be the target of Cupid's arrow.

The early renaissance produced verbose love letters written in elaborate penmanship — letters which would travel weeks or months before falling into their lovers' hands. Words that crossed seas and borders, carrying warmth across cold distances.

Through the Victorian era, love letters were not only meant for far-away love but became an important part of courtship — allowing lovers to share words too difficult to speak aloud. In an age of formality and propriety, the letter was where the heart could finally be honest.

In the 20th century, men and women found themselves overseas as war blanketed the world. Love letters with an included photograph, stationary spritzed with perfume, became a steadfast reminder of what was waiting at home. A piece of paper became an anchor.

The 21st century brought about an explosion of technology which transformed the traditional love letter. Emails with alluring subject lines and playful fonts replaced pages of handwritten words. And then came the text message — intimate, immediate, impermanent.

Today the love letter may come in many different forms. A note passed in a high school classroom. A sweet text sent at midnight. A short "I love you" scribbled on scrap paper and left beside a freshly made pot of coffee.