Last weekend, G and I went with my mom to see some family. And while we were there, we ended up looking through some things that had belonged to my grandparents.
Among some jewelry and a few watches, was a little note. I posted it on Facebook so if you follow me there, sorry, you’re seeing this again.
My grandpa left a note for my grandma with a few things he’d like to have from the grocery store. And he signed off on it like this:
Her response, “Guess what, I love you, too!” Is just the sweetest.
This exchange, totally ordinary to them, is now a tangible reminder of their love. It warmed my heart to hold this note. To have something I could touch that showed how well they loved each other.
And it occurred to me that one day, my grandchildren likely won’t stumble upon things like this. We communicate these same messages through text now. And those aren’t lasting. It’s nothing that anyone would one day hold dear.
Every day when we get home from school & work, I carry G to the mailbox and check the mail. She then helps me “sort” it and we go inside to play. When we’re sorting the mail I find myself pushing aside all the junk, making a pile of bills, and keeping my eyes peeled for anything with actual handwriting on it.
Because who doesn’t love real mail?
I’m a stationary lover, and I’m a fan of a thank you note, but I cannot remember the last time I sat down and hand-wrote something for someone. And isn’t there something more special, more personal about that?
I know myself well enough to know that I’m not going to be the type to just sit down and write letters randomly to people, but what I am going to do is be more intentional when the opportunity to praise someone arises. I have talked about lighting candles and being intentional in prayer before, but this is infinitely more simple.
When the occasion arises, I’m going to spend 5 minutes and hand-write a note to someone. Birthdays, Christmas, weddings, new jobs, etc. I’m not sure what matters more to me than the people that I love knowing how much I love them.
And it may sound silly, but I want G to know what my handwriting looks like. I want her to be able to look back at what I’ve to her written in books and cards and for those words to have meaning and to bring her joy.
Because if a grocery list could bring back a flood of warm memories of my grandparents, just imagine what else our hand-written words could do.
Jamie
LOVE this! Thanks for sharing!
Bev Barger
So lovely! I too love cards and notes! I remember when people starting sending cards on line, It was ok but I really missd the real card! Thank you for sharing and reminding us about the little things and how importantthey are in the scheme of it all!!!
Ali
So true! I just love hand written things. It’s funny because I was talking to a high schooler recently (friend of the family) and she and to address an envelope – she looked at me and asked for help…HELP! I couldn’t believe it. She had no idea how to address an envelope. Why would she? When the way she communicates is through email, text and Facebook. It was so crazy, but it also made me sad. Some schools are also doing away with cursive…it will soon be a lost art. How true this post is! Have a great night Kelly!