Hallmark?

In this day of the internet, social media, texting and even emailing, how is Hallmark even keeping afloat? Due to the expense of cards (I have been hard pressed to find a card under $4-5) and time, I have taken to sending most birthday wishes and thoughts by way of text. Adding emojis and confetti make it fun and immediate.  When my boyz were first born I remember my mother-in-law saying ‘Oh Suzanne – you have a year off – no one will expect you to send a card for anything when you have 3 babies to take care of’.  Well that year I was great at sending cards – the boyz were good sleepers so during their naps I could take care of any business like that.  But after that year, I was back to work, naps were shorter, the boyz were on the move….you get the picture. Since then I have had a mental block about getting cards out – I have a belief that I will always be late so naturally …I am always late! It feels like each step of the process is significant…there is :

1-buying the card (which I have to remember when I drive south because there is a limited selection in my town)….

2-writing the card out and addressing it (and potentially having to search for updated address)….

3-stamping the card and getting it to the post office (a mile away but somehow never convenient).

This is how a simple task becomes complicated in my little mind!

So cards have been reserved for some birthdays, sympathy and graduations/special occasions if we attend an event.  But I recently started buying some cards since Seamus started Plebe summer and I thought it would be a way to cheer him up (I can only say so much in letters without boring him to pieces!).  I have sporadically sent some and then to Brendan as well.  I have some for Casey that I will send as a pick me up when there is a stretch where we do not see him.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I called my friend Laura last week when I was feeling particularly sad about the boyz being away.  I received this in the mail the other day and it was such a light for me….

There is something about a physical card, a personal note which is handwritten, not typed, and mail that is a fun surprise (not bills or junk!) that just brightens the day.  So while I am still going to be savvy with my card purchases, I will be aware of the impact they can have on what might be an otherwise down day for someone I love. As frivolous as Hallmark can be…it does feed the love 🙂

Many Blessings,

Suzanne