Aug 7, 2024 — Ah, what a magical power, to restore hope and optimism! Today we want to quickly tell you about a few Cardie Community members who have been using their soothing abilities quite mightily. They’ve so beautifully shown us the strength of words that we asked their permission to share what they’ve said with you here.
Just yesterday, Penny Schiller emailed, “Another friend recently lost her 15-year-old canine companion. Hearing that sad news made me think of a note I sent around this same time last year to a close friend who said a last goodbye to their 14-year-old Newfie. I’d said, ‘My heart aches for you and with you.’” So simple and supportive and undoubtedly a Passages card in the making.
Rosie Tolliver wrote, “I recently had a good, long, phone conversation with a dear friend who goes back 50 years to high school. We now live states away and she spends her days lovingly caring for her husband who is in poor health. When we spoke, she told me about another good friend she has made, a fellow choir member, who lost her husband last year. She shared that the kind woman had said to her, ‘If you ever need to, call me and just breathe into the phone, I’ll know it’s you. You won’t even have to talk. We can just be quiet together.’
“I have not been able to stop thinking about that profound gift of empathy and understanding,” Rosie said, and it was the same for me. For the record, it was Rosie who wrote one of my own favorite card messages of all time, on the Winged Heart you see below. And right beside it, the spirit of her sweet granddaughter Celia lives on through the Little Reminders Thinking of You card.
In Thursday’s mail, I received the great Hummingbird thinking of you card from Lauren Rowell … and the next day, received it from Toni Hoepf!
I got such a kick out of the synchronicity that I emailed the two Contributing Cardies to say thanks for their thoughtfulness, and copied Sharon Wada who took the fun photo, and Carla Schmitt, who wrote the message. “So you can feel as good as we do at seeing how well this card hits the mark!”
Two weeks ago, we hired a public relations firm to help us grow our Cardie Community by promoting The Cardthartic Experience. We’d approached the firm after admiring the poignant writing of one of its execs online. Here, on her own blog, Jen Squilla introduces herself by saying, “Now on the other side of a decade-long eating disorder, I’m shifting my focus from restriction to filling up my plate with a more purposeful life. I’m serving up personal stories — because writing is my therapy (also, therapy is my therapy) — and educational resources and tools to help resist the societal pressures of diet culture.”
After we signed the contract but before our work together had officially begun, Jen ordered the Saying Thanks card online and sent it to us with this message from their team, “Thanks so much for taking the time to learn about us and for trusting us with your business. We are so excited to bring card-giving to the forefront of today’s conversations.”
Jen’s graciousness made us feel comfortable asking her if we could share this next post with you: “I once heard that it’s impossible to feel angry while feeling grateful. So, this morning, I sat on my porch at sunrise and jotted down my list. It’s simple, and shifted my state in minutes. I wrote that I’m grateful for:
– Real birds calling, not my alarm
– My dog lying quietly, on guard, at my feet
– My mom’s homemade cornflake chicken
– My dad’s ability (and desire) to replace a car speaker and blast Clapton
– Double snuggles from my girls who, together, fell asleep on me last night
– My husband’s apology
– My self-awareness, my hopefulness
✌️🤟
Leave it to Fellow Cardies who — like a big bunch of marigolds — use their words to soothe those they know body and soul!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Aug 7, 2024 — Ah, what a magical power, to restore hope and optimism! Today we want to quickly tell you about a few Cardie Community members who have been using their soothing abilities quite mightily. They’ve so beautifully shown us the strength of words that we asked their permission to share what they’ve said with you here.
Just yesterday, Penny Schiller emailed, “Another friend recently lost her 15-year-old canine companion. Hearing that sad news made me think of a note I sent around this same time last year to a close friend who said a last goodbye to their 14-year-old Newfie. I’d said, ‘My heart aches for you and with you.’” So simple and supportive and undoubtedly a Passages card in the making.
Rosie Tolliver wrote, “I recently had a good, long, phone conversation with a dear friend who goes back 50 years to high school. We now live states away and she spends her days lovingly caring for her husband who is in poor health. When we spoke, she told me about another good friend she has made, a fellow choir member, who lost her husband last year. She shared that the kind woman had said to her, ‘If you ever need to, call me and just breathe into the phone, I’ll know it’s you. You won’t even have to talk. We can just be quiet together.’
“I have not been able to stop thinking about that profound gift of empathy and understanding,” Rosie said, and it was the same for me. For the record, it was Rosie who wrote one of my own favorite card messages of all time, on the Winged Heart you see below. And right beside it, the spirit of her sweet granddaughter Celia lives on through the Little Reminders Thinking of You card.
In Thursday’s mail, I received the great Hummingbird thinking of you card from Lauren Rowell … and the next day, received it from Toni Hoepf!
I got such a kick out of the synchronicity that I emailed the two Contributing Cardies to say thanks for their thoughtfulness, and copied Sharon Wada who took the fun photo, and Carla Schmitt, who wrote the message. “So you can feel as good as we do at seeing how well this card hits the mark!”
Two weeks ago, we hired a public relations firm to help us grow our Cardie Community by promoting The Cardthartic Experience. We’d approached the firm after admiring the poignant writing of one of its execs online. Here, on her own blog, Jen Squilla introduces herself by saying, “Now on the other side of a decade-long eating disorder, I’m shifting my focus from restriction to filling up my plate with a more purposeful life. I’m serving up personal stories — because writing is my therapy (also, therapy is my therapy) — and educational resources and tools to help resist the societal pressures of diet culture.”
After we signed the contract but before our work together had officially begun, Jen ordered the Saying Thanks card online and sent it to us with this message from their team, “Thanks so much for taking the time to learn about us and for trusting us with your business. We are so excited to bring card-giving to the forefront of today’s conversations.”
Jen’s graciousness made us feel comfortable asking her if we could share this next post with you: “I once heard that it’s impossible to feel angry while feeling grateful. So, this morning, I sat on my porch at sunrise and jotted down my list. It’s simple, and shifted my state in minutes. I wrote that I’m grateful for:
– Real birds calling, not my alarm
– My dog lying quietly, on guard, at my feet
– My mom’s homemade cornflake chicken
– My dad’s ability (and desire) to replace a car speaker and blast Clapton
– Double snuggles from my girls who, together, fell asleep on me last night
– My husband’s apology
– My self-awareness, my hopefulness
✌️🤟
Leave it to Fellow Cardies who — like a big bunch of marigolds — use their words to soothe those they know body and soul!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Ph! What a joy-filled, rich posting. Best of success with the new marketing partner. Always grateful for Cardthartic!
Welcome to the Cardie Community, Jen!
I just put Dragonflies in the mail to a friend who broke her collar-bone while pedaling in the Pelatonia to end cancer — and now I will pass along your joyous newsletter to my long-time friend.
Rosie’s friend who said “just call & breathe into the phone” really touched me. As Cardies know I’ve been having challenges with cancer & during one of the scary times, our Pastor called me, prayed with me & then just sat silently on the phone to let me know I was not alone. So powerful.
Yep, the comment, “just call and breathe into the phone” tugged at my heartstrings as well, Mad.
So beautiful. What incredible women these Cardies are… blessed to know them through their words. XXX000 Paige
So thankful to be part of a community that abounds in goodness and kindness. It’s like there’s goodness bouncing all over the place :-)