The Lost Art of a Thank-You Note

This smile (actually an old photo but the only one I could find quickly on my computer) reveals my pleasure in receiving over 50 written thank-you notes from the folks who attended our Thanksgiving event.

It truly is a lost art to write a card by hand, express a personal sentiment, write an address on it, put a stamp on it, and put it in the mail. My momma taught me to do that, which is a custom I still follow (along with a card on my elderly friend's birthdays, anniversaries, or at times of sadness upon the death of a loved-one).

I also want to give a special shout-out to my buddy WearinBoots of Mesa, Arizona. I helped him a little bit by putting together a draft profile that he had imported to hotboots.com. He expressed his thanks by writing a card and sending a gift of really cool boot Christmas tree ornaments. That wasn't necessary, but was humbly and deeply appreciated. What a thoughtful man.

I am humbled and gratified that some people still remember that a thank-you card is a wonderful gesture. Sure, I appreciate the phone calls, and email, but a card... well, that's really special. My legion of fun folks that I spend time with as I can -- changing a light bulb, replacing a faulty light switch, repairing that sticky door, or even continuing to practice my Italian while playing Bocci -- are truly special. I am so richly blessed.

Now that doesn't mean it's all love-n-roses. My ever-persistent-keep-the-house-clean partner has been asking, "how long are you going to keep those cards?" ... well, "for a while." I like to read them, sometimes over and over.

Life is short: show those you love that you love them.