Put a stamp on it.

Hidey ho friends. Happy Sunday. Hope today has been just amazing. The weather is to be absolutely beautiful here this week through the weekend with temps reaching the mid 60s which is my favorite. I am looking forward to opening my windows and letting this house air out. My son had covid two weeks ago complete with a trip to the ER and I’m ready for these germs to be out of this house. Air it out! He is much better and my husband and I did not get it thank the good Lord. It’s always a little scary with him because he has asthma so we got some steroids and antibiotics and he was on the mend. Hopefully spring is finally here and all this sickness that has been going around our area will be gone.

How long has it been since you’ve gotten a letter or card in the mail? I hope not too long but, I’m sure its been a bit. In the age of email, text messages, messenger and everything electronic folks just don’t “write” much anymore. I can remember as a child getting a card or a letter in the mail and just being so excited. About the only time I get them now is at Christmas from those that send out cards. I send about 80 out at Christmas time. If I have your address, you’re getting a card from me. Confession: I am obsessed with cards. Typically, the ones that are blank inside. I buy them from bookstores or when I’m out and find them with neat or different art on the front. I’ve accumulated so many.

Don’t you think it’s important to see someone’s handwriting? For a person to take the time to write words inside of a card to me, is very special. That person felt fondly enough of me to write a note to me and put a stamp on it and send it in the mail. In a time where we pretty much get just bills and advertisement in the mailbox, on occasion, it’s nice to get a card from someone you care for. My momma has the most beautiful cursive handwriting. I have kept several cards from her because I don’t want to ever forget how her writing looks. After our daddy passed away, we dove in to old dining room cabinet drawers trying to find notes he had written down just to have him a little closer still. Searching for his words on paper to try to remember his voice. Folks don’t think those words written down are important until they are all you have left to hang on to. Of course, we have many photographs and those are great too but there’s just something about words in his handwriting that matter. When I journal I try to write it on paper rather than type it out. One day, when I’m long gone, my son will find those journals and hopefully they will mean something.

Over the last couple of years I’ve tried to make it a point to send cards more frequently. I send them to my family for certain but, I’ve also been sending them to others that appreciate getting something in the mail. One friends little girl gets a card on the holidays from me and another friend has a sister who gets them as well. Someone will always appreciate a pretty card with some encouraging words inside. You don’t have to be a poet either. You can simply write “I was thinking of you today and I wanted you to know that I hope you have a wonderful week”. When someone is having a hard go just a note to say you are sending good vibes and prayers can mean the difference between a really hard day and one that goes smoother. It costs hardly anything. Maybe about 2 dollars if you buy a pack of cards.

I’m not sure why we have gotten so far out of had written letters and cards. Sure, its much easier to send a text or an email, but when you send words that way there’s nothing else there. They are just words. Words against a blank screen and to me it just seems so impersonal. Handwritten words on paper tells me that you took the time to sit down and communicate. You put thought in to choosing the paper or card. You grabbed your favorite pen so that the writing was enjoyable and looked pretty. You thought about what you were going to say before you wrote it down because you couldn’t backspace and start over. What ever communication is to me it should be personal.

Here’s a little challenge for you. This week grab a box of cards that are blank inside. You can get them at a fancy bookstore or card shop or you can grab some inexpensive ones at the dollar store. Purchase a book of stamps. Yes, it’ll cost you twenty dollars but you spend more than that on your lunch sometimes. Decide who you want to communicate with and write them a note. It can be as simple as “hello I just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you” or you can really communicate the words that you want to say to them. Beautifully write the note and get it in the mail. I 99.9% guarantee you hear from your person before the weekend. This is a great way to grow a relationship with someone who you haven’t gotten to spend time with for a while. Maybe, you even need to write a note to someone where there have been some bridges burnt. I challenge you to slow down a little and just enjoy the experience of sending someone a hand written note in the regular mail opposed to electronically.

I hope that each and every one of you have a very blessed week ahead. Remember that you can handle just whatever this week throws your way.

Always…….Brooke