July 30, 2024 — Over the years, we’ve featured this design a good number of times, inspired by how many Cardies we know are out there making a difference every day. It’s as Cardie Lee Monroe put so beautifully recently, “A perfect card lifts my spirits as I address it, and blesses the one who receives it.”
Today, we’re posting it with the hope of inspiring you to share the difference your own card-sending has made. No pressure, of course. We’re only asking because it seems the world could do with a few more feel-good stories, don’tchathink?!
We’d love to read of a time that a card you received made a real difference in your own life. Or of a time you sent a card and the recipient let you know how it touched them. It doesn’t have to be a Cardthartic card, nor do you need to remember word-for-word what the card said. It’s, well, “the thought that counts!”
Here are a few of our past favorites …
Back in the summer of 2016, Ann John graciously emailed to say, “I have become unable to send any condolences other than one of your extraordinary Passages cards. I have had several recipients tell me they’ve saved the one I sent them in their bedside table, their Bible, or their purse, just so it’s handy when they need to see it again.”
When we wrote back to say what a gratifying message that was to read, from Ann’s big heart she explained, “My love of a good card is in my sisters’ and my genes. Our mother lived every moment of every day and unexpectedly passed away two years ago at the age of 94 watering her garden on a lovely afternoon in May. She’d apparently stepped out in the middle of writing in a card to a 100-year-old friend. That unfinished note was mailed as it was, with an added explanation of how it was found.”
Contributing Cardies Carla and
Ann with their lifelong Cardie mother,
Virginia McCracken.
When Connie Mele introduced herself for her Cardie Profile, she shared that “one of my favorite cards is ‘Sisters in spirit … friends for life. How fortunate we are to be sharing this journey.’ It’s perfect for the group of friends I went to church camp with,” Connie explained. “From 6th-12th grade, we were best friends — and then came college, weddings, kids. And while I continued to send them all cards for birthdays and anniversaries, I realized that we had not seen each other in more than two decades!
“I wrote to each of them suggesting we return to the camp for a 25th-anniversary reunion. They all agreed it was a great idea, so we made it happen and had a wonderful time! During one of our last evenings together, they all made a point of saying that, if it hadn’t been for me keeping in touch with them all those years, the reunion would never have happened. ”
Connie & Church Camp Friends
L-R: Nancy Wrobel, Judy MacKeigan,
Betsy Hart,Connie and Carole Sue Waldron
“We now get together every other year!” Connie said, and then mused, “Especially in this day and time when people are feeling so disconnected and isolated, receiving a card assures us, ‘Someone is thinking about me! I am special to that person.’”
Connie shared, “It was very gratifying to hear from a friend, ‘I was having an awful time and walked out to the mailbox and there sat your card. It was like you knew I needed a friend and, even though you were miles away, there you were!’”
And leave it to Contributing Cardie Judy Cortner to make a point of making a difference every day. “I have a new idea for myself,” she shared. “I am going to keep a box of cards in my handbag and when I am waiting — which seems to be often lately — I am going to spend the time writing a note to someone and sending it on its way!”
Love these stories and can’t wait to read yours. Thank you.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
July 30, 2024 — Over the years, we’ve featured this design a good number of times, inspired by how many Cardies we know are out there making a difference every day. It’s as Cardie Lee Monroe put so beautifully recently, “A perfect card lifts my spirits as I address it, and blesses the one who receives it.”
Today, we’re posting it with the hope of inspiring you to share the difference your own card-sending has made. No pressure, of course. We’re only asking because it seems the world could do with a few more feel-good stories, don’tchathink?!
We’d love to read of a time that a card you received made a real difference in your own life. Or of a time you sent a card and the recipient let you know how it touched them. It doesn’t have to be a Cardthartic card, nor do you need to remember word-for-word what the card said. It’s, well, “the thought that counts!”
Here are a few of our past favorites …
Back in the summer of 2016, Ann John graciously emailed to say, “I have become unable to send any condolences other than one of your extraordinary Passages cards. I have had several recipients tell me they’ve saved the one I sent them in their bedside table, their Bible, or their purse, just so it’s handy when they need to see it again.”
When we wrote back to say what a gratifying message that was to read, from Ann’s big heart she explained, “My love of a good card is in my sisters’ and my genes. Our mother lived every moment of every day and unexpectedly passed away two years ago at the age of 94 watering her garden on a lovely afternoon in May. She’d apparently stepped out in the middle of writing in a card to a 100-year-old friend. That unfinished note was mailed as it was, with an added explanation of how it was found.”
Contributing Cardies Carla and
Ann with their lifelong Cardie mother,
Virginia McCracken.
When Connie Mele introduced herself for her Cardie Profile, she shared that “one of my favorite cards is ‘Sisters in spirit … friends for life. How fortunate we are to be sharing this journey.’ It’s perfect for the group of friends I went to church camp with,” Connie explained. “From 6th-12th grade, we were best friends — and then came college, weddings, kids. And while I continued to send them all cards for birthdays and anniversaries, I realized that we had not seen each other in more than two decades!
“I wrote to each of them suggesting we return to the camp for a 25th-anniversary reunion. They all agreed it was a great idea, so we made it happen and had a wonderful time! During one of our last evenings together, they all made a point of saying that, if it hadn’t been for me keeping in touch with them all those years, the reunion would never have happened. ”
Connie & Church Camp Friends
L-R: Nancy Wrobel, Judy MacKeigan,
Betsy Hart,Connie and Carole Sue Waldron
“We now get together every other year!” Connie said, and then mused, “Especially in this day and time when people are feeling so disconnected and isolated, receiving a card assures us, ‘Someone is thinking about me! I am special to that person.’”
Connie shared, “It was very gratifying to hear from a friend, ‘I was having an awful time and walked out to the mailbox and there sat your card. It was like you knew I needed a friend and, even though you were miles away, there you were!’”
And leave it to Contributing Cardie Judy Cortner to make a point of making a difference every day. “I have a new idea for myself,” she shared. “I am going to keep a box of cards in my handbag and when I am waiting — which seems to be often lately — I am going to spend the time writing a note to someone and sending it on its way!”
Love these stories and can’t wait to read yours. Thank you.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
What works for me is having a selection of cardthartic’s “Pet Condolence” and “Condolence” cards on hand. That way you can mail the perfect card immediately when someone suffers a loss. That gesture has been greatly appreciated especially by my animal loving friends (because their loss is so painful too).
My friend called me crying because she was so touched by the “Curled white cat & dog card”. A small gesture that makes a difference.
Several years ago I was in a Tuesday night Bible Study. There was a lady in the group that I knew had been recently widowed – and at quite a young age. And that is exactly all I knew about her – other than her first name. It was heading into the holiday season (Thanksgiving/Christmas) and I felt a nudge to write her a card. I took it with me to Bible Study and gave it to her following our meeting. She looked confused. She said, “Thank you?” (Much more question than statement). A week later, after Bible Study, she grabbed me by the elbow and said, “You have no idea how much I needed that card!” And she was right – I knew nothing. She then shared that the previous Tuesday had been her wedding anniversary. It had taken everything in her just to show up for group – and my card (which I have no recollection what it looked like or said) gave her an added boost of encouragement. I bawled my eyes out in my car when I left the church. How gracious of God to allow me to be part of something that I had no idea the impact of in advance.
Truthfully, the cards I love the most are the handmade ones from my girls when they were little, and the ones their kids have made… but Cardthartic cards are a close second! Years ago I lived along the Ohio River, and I would stop at the Book Loft in Columbus, OH whenever work brought me up here for the day. The Book Loft is famous for having 32 rooms — and I love books — but I would go straight to the lower level where I knew I would find the only condolence cards worth sending. I would stock up on birthday cards and thank you messages too. So, one day — long after I had moved to Columbus — when my daughter told me some lady had called asking for permission to use her daughter’s picture on a card for the Passages line, I knew EXACTLY what she was talking about!!! Today The Girl in the Park card features my granddaughter, Celia, and I keep a stash on hand so that I can give a fresh one to all the health care providers and fellow hospice volunteers I encounter.
Once again, Jodee’s newsletter has set me to thinking. Here’s a string of my thoughts about how cards have made a difference in my world. I’m 81 now so this goes back many years. When I was a lot younger, I had an uncontrollable urge, when my aunt was in the hospital, to double stick old family pictures on a card and write a letter inside to her. Which I did a number of times. At her funeral, one of her family members told me how much those cards meant to her family. They were a topic of conversation in the hospital room and lightened up the mood. I wasn’t expecting that and it was a blessing to hear, one that has stayed with me all these years. A similar unexpected comment came from my cousin who underwent transplant surgery – “You’ll never know how much your cards meant to me.” Now, I have Cardthartic cards to send and they send the same magic. I sent my sister ‘Wildfowers’ when she was recovering from difficult health issues. Her family was gathered around her, read the card and could tell how much it meant to their Mom. The card set into motion a warm, interactive family time. A welcome moment after a lot of stress.
The same day Jodee’s newsletter came in, I also got a newsletter from Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. (His newsletter goes out to Illinois residents.) Like Jodee, he stressed how meaningful cards are — I couldn’t have been more surprised at the coincidence. His wife had given birth to premature twins, NICU and a lot of angst. He said, “Hundreds of people wrote me with their prayers, best wishes, and stories of their own experiences with premature babies, NICU stays, and NEC. During a very trying time in our lives, these notes were comforting and appreciated.” He used their personal experience to lead into the point of the newsletter: Civility, “agreeing to disagree agreeably.” I’m not sure if my summary makes any sense, but my wish is to pay good attention to what good people are doing.
Most of my cards are sent for birthdays, anniversaries and other ordinary occasions and there’s not a lot of feedback. My satisfaction with those card is that I find a Cardthartic card that feels right for the person. And that is a very good feeling.
Who loves to send cards? Everyone reading this.
Who loves to receive cards? Everyone! All ages!
My grandchildren have helped me realize that. They love to receive mail. And I send cards. Lots of cards. I must confess to My Fairy Cardmother that they receive special occasion Cardthartics but it’s mainly dollar store cards. I let the parents know when I have mailed cards so the little ones get to accompany their parent to the mailbox!
Now to the REAL cards. My orders almost always include a few Pennies from Heaven cards. I have found they send such a loving message to a young person who has just experienced the loss of an adored grandparent, and most recently, a beloved parent. I started out including a shiny penny in the cards but realized also including an old penny makes their “penny hunt” perhaps more realistic.
Condolence cards first drew me to Cardthartic eight years ago . So many choices. Each one perfect.
In fact, every one in the entire Cardthartic collection is perfect.
Thank you for making card sending such a true joy!