“I’m going to commit to sending one letter a week.”

That’s what my friend Julia decided as we were lamenting the lost art of letter-writing. Reminiscing about the won-derful forgotten gesture, which seems to have all but disappeared. A tiny piece of humanity we felt was worth˙ preserving. Remember how special it was to get an envelope addressed in that familiar handwriting from someone you cared about?

Now the mailbox reliably brings junk mail of all shapes and sizes, or bills you could do without. Not to mention the obvious barrage of electronic communications–a fact of life. But not that long ago there were regular occurrences of real live letters. Hand written by actual people and sent with care! Be honest, it felt good when you saw your name on the front. In fact, isn’t that what you’re still looking for when you scan the pile in your mailbox? Sift through the labels and printouts and fliers in search of something that’s real. Even advertisers know that. Why else would they cleverly mimic the look of a hand addressed envelope if it didn’t improve the chance of getting opened? Personal letters come less frequently, but we’re still looking for them.

Cards and letters are cool. Whether they come on well-appointed stationary with delicate penmanship, or block print, or kids’ jumbled printing with colorful envelopes, it gives a glimpse of what message to expect inside. And someone took the time to create it just for you.

It’s even better when the envelope is thick with photos, or drawings or surprises to spill out when you rip them open. I used to put glitter in cards after I loved getting that surprise from a friend. Article clippings, feathers, fabric, recipes and school pictures from relatives. Who knows what accompanied crayon-written notes with scribbled drawings that have come from kiddos over the years.

Special loved ones or friends sent timely letters and notes as my daughter was growing up. I can remember the excitement it generated. It made her feel special and caused me to smile.

We liked to send thank-you notes for gifts and plenty of letters in reply to the ones that we got. I’m happy to say as an adult my girl has continued the tradition and often thinks to send a card or a letter to brighten someone’s day. Even in a busy life, this pretty easy little touch makes magic.

People don’t expect them now. That’s part of the fun. For example, I had been sending the checks for yard work in a note card to the guy who cuts my grass. He comes and goes, sometimes when I’m not home so we have an arrangement to mail payment monthly. Once when he was over, he let me know that I should save my fancy cards for something special, and offered to give me some business envelopes. I have business envelopes. The fact that he does a good reliable job makes my life easier, so I wanted it to be noticed.

For those of us who still do Christmas Cards, that time of year is the mail pinnacle. I love coming home and finding cheery greetings in my mailbox. Not to mention the cool and creative ‘wrappings’ they come in. Little pieces of art with warm sentiments can only be good. If you’re on the fence about whether to continue this tradition, hear me now. Never stop sending me Christmas cards!

Not long ago an old friend reached out on social media with a dilemma. Her mom was far away and dealing with an illness in covid times. Until family could get to see her, she asked that friends might send cards to help lift her spirits. I sent one that day and apparently others did too. No doubt the envelopes trickled in over a number of days to stretch out the good vibes. When my friend got there, she took a picture of all the brightly colored cards that had helped her mom weather a tough time. They were so grateful! I know it made the senders happy too.

The thing is, there’s so much going on in our world of late. We’ve all been through a lot. Who couldn’t use a healthy dose of kindness and care. So many people are searching for a sense of connection, there is merit in reaching out to our fellow humans in little ways. Some share a smile, open a door, lend a hand or decide to let someone merge in traffic. I love hearing of ways that people are stepping up to make a difference in uncertain times, knowing that we’re all in this together. I say shine your light where you can to make life brighter. Maybe this would be a perfect time to send a letter. I hope one finds its way to you, but it can feel just as good to send one.