Create Unexpected Joy in the Lives of those you Love

How the Simple Gesture of Mailing a Card can Brighten Someone’s Day.

When was the last time you sent anyone a card in the mail? Was it for their birthday? Wedding? Or some sort of special occasion? Can you even remember?

What about you? When was the last time you got a card in the mail? Was it for your birthday? Wedding? Some sort of special occasion? Can you even remember?

Social media has made it so easy to remember important moments in the lives of our loved ones. Remembering an important date is taken care of and so is the need to send a note at all.

Heck, we don’t even call anyone anymore.

Now we can love a post and simply drop a pre-empted “Happy Birthday” message into the comment section on their profile.

This is a great feature. It helps clear our plate of such knowledge so we can put our minds to work on more pressing issues.

I get it. We’re all busy.

Too Busy.

Too busy to slow down and write a nice card to share in someone’s big life moments.

Writing out a card is a commitment. You have to make it to the store to buy the card, spend an hour searching for the perfect one, only to narrow it down and commit to one, purchase it, then spend 20 minutes figuring out what to say in a card that already says everything, and write two to three sentences of love and admiration, followed by finding their address, buying stamps, and finally you mail the card.

phew!

A quick post on Facebook is so much easier.

You know the feeling on your birthday, you hop on Facebook and are flooded with messages wishing you a happy birthday. It feels good.

But what if you got a card in the mail that day too. How would that make you feel? It would stand out from the rest. You would resonant with love and gratitude for this one person of all the people in your life who took time to say you matter.

That is what I love about sending mail.

We all get junk mail and bills, and hopefully an occasional card.

Cards that lift our spirit. Cards that say “You’re the Bee’s Knees” both literally and figuratively.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on card writing. It’s a habit I started over 10 years ago and one of my favorite things to do.

I feel good sending mail. It allows me the opportunity to think about the recipient in a positive light while I ponder what I will write. Then as I write I can feel the emotions of love and sincerity fill me as I write in the card. Very often I get phone calls of thanks. Again allowing me to indulge in a feeling of gratitude towards these cherished people in my life.

It makes an impact. I know because I can feel it. I know because it puts me in a state of gratitude, and I get high on the intoxication of who I will reach out to next.

It’s Winter and we’ve been in quarantine for 10 months. The holidays are over and the long dark days of a drizzly winter await me outside. It’s easy to feel isolated and alone.

If you want a pick me up that is contagious, then write a card.

• You don’t have to wait for a birthday.
• You don’t have to wait for a wedding.
• You don’t have to wait for a special occasion.

Just get to writing.

It begins with you. You don’t even have to know who you are planning on writing to. Just head to your favorite card stop and spend time reading some cards.

Your emotional state will rise with joy as you read through the variety of choices laid out before you. People will pop in and out of your head as different messages and images remind you of the characters in your life.

At first, you might even feel silly. Talking yourself out of the idea to write someone you don’t know that well or haven’t spoken to in a while. Thinking they would think it weird for you to reach out.

They won’t. They will be thrilled! I find that it’s the cards I send to the people outside my inner circle that appreciate them the most. It’s more unexpected, and oddly enough typically comes to them just when they needed it. It could be the reason they popped in your head just now. They may need some support and the universe is slyly letting you know.

Pick up a handful of cards. That way you have them on hand when an occasion comes up. I love a good craft fair so I usually stock up on artist cards at those types of events.

The most challenging part is what to say. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what to say, nor do I want to. Try to look at this as an opportunity, just like when you were picking out the cards, to sit with thoughts of this person in your mind. The words will come.

I do a draft so I know when the words make it to the card they are exactly the sentiment I was looking for.

Finally, don’t wait for an occasion. Send the damn card.

Make someone’s day.

Events come up all the time that offer an opportunity to send a card, and I use them all. I send cards for everything from the death of a pet to my best friend’s sixth-grader who just graduated. It’s fun, and sometimes easier to have an event to present an opportunity. But if you don’t see anything on the horizon, send it anyway.

You’ll be amazed at how a simple act, like mailing a card, can create a chain reaction of positive energy into your life, the life of the recipient, and the lives of everyone else that person is in contact with that day.

Everyone can use a little unexpected joy and you can create that by sending a card.