Today is #NationalSendACardToAFriendDay and what better time to pay homage to the great and sometimes forgotten art of... a handwritten note!
If you are anything like me, you often dread heading to the mailbox. Mine is jam packed with junk mail fliers from stores that I rarely go to, and coupons for products that I have no desire to try. No DSW - I'm good. Bed, Bath & Beyond - I have BEYOND enough 20% off coupons! More bills. More voting material (these ones are important, y'all!) The only times of year that I actually look forward to checking my mail is my birthday and Christmas!
Then there are the special occasions where I may see a small sized envelope with my name and address scrawled on the front in a funny kind of font... wait, could that be handwriting? Cursive? Once common elements of correspondence these have now been so uncommon you almost do a double take. Most of the time they are thank you notes from some gift I had given. Not expected but always greatly appreciated. My aunt is known for filling up every possible inch front and back of the card and thanking you for each and every item and how special they made her feel. I love to see how expressive she can be, and her beautiful handwriting will definitely be part of her legacy. Same with my mom. I can spot their notes a mile away... I keep them and some day will cherish having a piece of "their voice" to hold on to. My grandmother also had beautiful penmanship and would lovingly sign her name, "Loads of Love, Grandma." These too are classic notes that I keep in a special place.
I am a child of the late 70's and I have to say our generation has not stepped up to the plate when it comes to handwritten notes. Who has the time, right? We text, we post, we Gram, we Whats App.... We certainly are not lacking in the communicating realm. My only hope is that we will also consider giving a little CPR to connecting to one another outside of the digital age. While I appreciate all of the "HBD" posts on Facebook and the group text "Merry Christmas" GIFs, I am grateful for this national observance of extending a more personal hand to those that are truly worth the extra effort. I challenge each of us to send ONE note to a friend each quarter. Shoot for that and see how much more you can do. I personally have also committed to write a note (hopefully monthly) to my 8 year old cousin who lives across the country. My goal is to connect with her in a non-digital manner, help her improve her writing, and find ways to help her uplift her self-love and love of her roots. I missed January... but you know what, I just found a great reason to get started today!!
Who can you connect with OFFLINE on a more regular basis?
Is there someone you want to thank?
Is there someone who needs some encouragement?
Is there a senior citizen that could use a little l.o.v.e?
Take a designated amount of time and sit at a table with a little soothing music. Carve out time while you are out at the cafe. At the beach? Great time to soak up some sun and knock out a card. No more excuses. It's 55 cents. Give it a shot and make someone's heart smile...
Additional Article: OUR BEST TIPS FOR CARD AND LETTER WRITING: "There are so many opportunities in your day to write a letter: Over breakfast, with a cup of tea, while you’re waiting for meetings to start, after the kids have gone to bed, during commercials. All you need to do is pull together what you’ll need—stationery, pens, stamps, and craft supplies—and make them easy to access. Maybe it’s a basket to carry from room to room, a stocked pencil-case to keep in your purse or a designated drawer in your desk. ..." READ MORE
- Written by Janine Kai Robinson
Comments