billet-doux /bill-ee-DOO/ - a love letter
I know I've encountered this word before, but I don't believe I've ever bothered to look up either its meaning or its pronunciation. I have certainly crafted my share of them. For a time, when my heart was in the wrong place, I repeatedly gave it voice in this way in a notebook. I finally realized that I could no longer hold onto the feelings I'd expressed there, and that by doing so I risked hurting the only person to whom I should craft such correspondence. That is a long way of explaining that I have thrown away quite a few of these undelivered, but I believe have crafted and presented more of them to my bride than I have ever written - whether discarded or otherwise - to others.
anchorite /ˈaŋ-kə-ˌrīt/ - a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons
I don't think I've ever heard of this hermit synonym before. I'm a little surprised, though, to read that this word isn't directly related to the one for a ship's anchor. On the one hand, this sort of life appeals to me, should I outlive my bride. On the other, I relish human interaction, so don't believe that I would thrive living like this. It would be too easy to yield to my tendency to self-judgment and self-condemnation.
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