Man excited to find his first handwritten 'love note' on his door handle — went silent when he saw who it was from
Receiving handwritten love notes can be exciting and romantic. That’s what Instagram user Joshua Brennt thought when he found a letter that was left on his door handle when he returned home with his friends. Brennt, who had never received a handwritten "love note" before, was excited to read it aloud to his friends until he saw who it was from, which left him speechless. The hilarious video was shared under the handle @joshbrennt on January 15, 2026, and has gotten everyone chuckling.
Artist Joshua Brennt shared that he never received a love note in his life and receiving one seemed exiting at first. He held the envelope up to the camera, revealing a small heart drawn beneath his name. He opened the envelope, which showcased a postcard with a beautiful portrait of a scenic house. As he took a peep at the letter, he realized that the person had written a lot in the letter. "It's a lot of writing," he said. His friends teased him, noticing his hands were shaking, while Brennt disagreed with them.
His friends howled and cheered when they found out there were too many "XOs." But when Brennt learned who the letter was from, the room fell silent. He revealed he had give a present to his 42-year-old neighbor, Tracy, on Christmas, and the letter was a note of gratitude from her. The video ended with all of them saying, "We love you, Tracy." A 2024 study published by Eman Tadros et al. noted that letter writing helps people express complex emotions, such as grief, guilt, loss, or shame. It also helps articulate their thoughts better. "An underlying humanistic counseling approach lays the framework for considering the whole person with an emphasis on strengths," the study explained.
Soon after the post went viral, many users shared their reactions. @sophia_gowin wrote, "That’s adorable, bless Tracy." @amybomberger joked, "That you just automatically assumed it was a love letter." @playj10 commented, "We love Tracy, but that was in on the hype for a second! Lost my breath."
Handwritten letters can come with unexpected surprises. In another story, a military wife, Kam Meyer, was excited to open what she thought was a heartfelt love letter from her deployed husband. However, when she opened the mail, she found a lock of his hair cut placed with the letter. He mailed it to her because she had once mentioned wanting a keepsake. The letter read, "I went outside today and found some of it in the same place it was cut. I am 100% sure it is mine. It is a little dusty, however. I miss you, and I hope having a piece of me with you helps."
After reading the letter, she was unsure if the hair actually belonged to her husband. Nevertheless, the gesture left her amused and touched, as she shared on TikTok. While both Joshua and Meyer may have anticipated a love letter, their hopes were not disappointed, since they received heartfelt gestures from their well-wishers.