Sunday, June 29, 2008

The Written Word

Back in March I had a post in which I talked about receiving a REAL letter in the mail! You can see that post here.

It not only made my day, but made my week, and heck, even made my MONTH, because very few of us receive real live hand written letters in the mail. It made me feel so good that I vowed I would start doing the same thing.

Alas, I haven't gotten around to it yet. (I know, I need to quit making excuses and just DO IT!)

However...almost two weeks ago I sent a "thinking of you" card to a gentleman who was our neighbor when we lived at our old house. I wrote a note inside, because I wanted him to know how much we liked him and his family, and we were aware that he was going through some pretty serious health issues. I also wanted him to know that we were thinking about him and praying for him.

This gentleman passed away a few days ago, and we went to the funeral home this afternoon. His wife and his daughters told us how much that card meant to him. Apparently they also told my parents the same thing when they were there right before we were, so it must have really meant something to him to receive that in the mail.

It took me 5-10 minutes to write inside of that card, address it, and stamp it. And it brought some pleasure to a suffering man. I'm so glad that I did it.

How many times have we just "not gotten around to it" when we know we should?

I'm EXTREMELY guilty of that! In fact, I absolutely HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO send an email to the person who sent me the letter back in March! She has since sent me a very long email (that I laughed, then cried over) and a card with a letter inside. She is so good about things like that. I'd send her something via snail mail, but an email will arrive so much sooner!

I'm the absolute QUEEN of PROCRASTINATION!! I need to be dethroned!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cindi I am so happy you wrote that letter, I have decided that I may not have enough money to make huge charity contributions, I may not have time to be a tremendous volunteer. But I do believe that God expects me to find my mission to reach others and writing has been that mission. I keep note cards, a small address book and stamps in my purse and my school bag and so at doctor's waiting rooms, concerts when you're waiting for it to begin, sports events when you are waiting for it to begin, etc. The time is there if we have the materials at hand and I know it has made a difference in people's lives, if only for a short time they know that they are important enough to be remember and it is a tangible thing to hold onto, to read over and over when they are blue. I am so proud of you for touching that family when they needed it most. More importantly I am so happy that you were given feedback so that you actually know that it was rewarding random act of kindness.

Paulie said...

YUP! Letters are still important. . . I like the hand writen ones.