Beyond the card.. to the message, the thought

What if you run out of cards? Would you just wait for more—the next catalyst. I see it growing into what about re-using cards for that which they were not meant for. Could we expand our thoughts, could we conger up something else.. that means more, makes us laugh, see new perspectives. Search, find, belief. Would a chirstmas card joy bring you everyday joy. Would you make sense of it? Would there be fresh understanding. What if it wasn’t cards, with messages. What if it was one word. Your word. Others words. Scraps of paper. Randomness. A grocery list. A peek into your life. Everyday, ordinary becoming extraordinary. Is that what we are looking for? Not answers but direction, insight. Peering to reality, the real heart of it all—soul. Yes, soul. Facts of one life become impacts of others. Relatable = heartfelt. Maybe that’s the best type of touch. As real as it gets. A part of you, left for someone. A piece. A piece of you passed on to another to strike connection. Almost touching right? Catchy you think or way off? Something definitely could be here. What if not your words, your list, your fragments of life. It could be magazine article recycled, an ad that caught your eye, a bookmark

you read your favorite book with, a wrapper from your favorite childhood candy...I’ll sleep on it. So many things to think about to share.

Then I come to envelopes. How do we rid them? For the environment sake. Or toward the simplification of life as well. Hell, let’s eliminate stamps altogether. But that will not work, right? if you think I am reaching here to put writers out of business, why put strain on postal workers. Postcards have been effective in this elimination of an element.. Ooooo re-gift postcards. Yes.. or what about cutting them in half. Smaller post cards- more to give. And intriguing, to receive half and wonder... push yourself to imagine what the other side or half looks like. Boost brain power. Stay intellectually fit. I read so many articles about how its not just important to keep your body fit, we have to focus on keeping our mind it tip top shape. Use it or lose it. In the days of Sudoko or Brain Age & protein shake & brain boosters in our Jamba Juice…as we reflect back to Crosswords (wait don’t we still use those, still crawling with them a Patina?) Can we take a more creative, less dull approach? Can you imagine they way we can grow—stretching the imagination could add years to our life, probably (not ridiculous, believe--) fight dementia, Alzheimers’. Expand thoughts, alter views. Imagination is powerful, right? Strengthen minds. Stretch our brain, our thinking. It’s funny what could come of receiving half of something. I picture a little child and how they can run wild with thoughts. I sometime envy the creativity, “sky as the limits.” But I value my experience. But has experience, tragedy, life had us boggled down to a one track. Could it bled into other parts of our lives. Further happiness beyond the gesture we are passing. Borderline a more fulfilled life. All through this concept. Maybe that’s a stretch, a far-fetched tale but this is my thoughts, my idea, a creation. Call me crazy weird but you can’t help but wonder… decide. All the options.. I mean it just spirals out of control. Possibilities that won’t come to me or you for years. Allowing us to live longer for years as our brain power becomes greater and we let the planet live longer. Live on forever.. save the world forever…

You may ask digital is already out there. E-cards, emails. I admit I send ecards now rather than paper cards. Convenient, can be the day of ;) FREE new different fun unique digital-aged “with-the-times”-- still meaningful, appreciated..heard. But my pitch is what about the stuff that is out there and is being tossed aside. Let’s take care of it. Yes, virtual has become the route to take, the band wagon to jump… but is print more personal. You decide I guess. My thought is—hear me out—how do you re live what is already out there, it’s undeniable it exists. Don’t ignore, embrace. Let’s take responsibility for the stuff we have made and left out in the world. We recognize through ads and commercials the landfills that pile with plastic…Why create more clutter in the world?--I have enough of it. I need d-clutter in my life! Let’s build the world in a new light. Not the light of we have painted… fix the mess we have made. I don’t know. It will catch on. I know it.

one card, one dream can happen.. make it

I've actually even thought of how to get it started... the impact to be a direct result. Although I am working out the details of how to pass it on. So many factors-- I will continue to think, you think.. and tell. Covering up the other persons writing, the envelope, the creativity that could come, the roadblocks. Can it happen. It seems so easy.. yet so much to work out. To make sense of.. But it starts with one. Just one. I give it to you.. you give it to her, she gives it to him and gets one that she gives to another him and her previous one that got given is taken from him to him and he finds another way to spin it to give it to her. Got it? Maybe you keep the message in there.. maybe you cross it out. Would you read the other persons message, would that be like sneaking a peak, trespassing? A little too personal you might think.. Okay so maybe you cut it, cut the portion off that has the writing. I mean this could get really different, the shapes you could make, the distortions of a perfectly square or rectangle card.. those cookie cutter cards. What not pass on used… and imperfections? We are in a time of economic turmoil and overload. When did perfect become what we value when it’s the little things that draw us in. Isn’t there something about finding the little things? Perfect could be argued as boring, dull. Sure.. I can buy it but really, perfect is complete, accomplished, finished. Why would we want to be finished?

 

Humor me--What is so great about a crisp new clean white card. Yes, the new card smell, the parched paper, its in tacked and untainted. Reminds us of.. wait it reminds me of nothing. It might actually make me feel bad right now that I am not that clean and organized, whole. Nothing but a computerized message I didn’t make up or right although when I read it, it touched me, made me laugh, cry, feel, etc. Can we be okay with just these messages, is it enough? Do we make it more fabulous by our words. Yes, some cards can say it all… and we are fine with this. What if all the cards circulating out there never had a signature or a name or another line, a salutation, an extra invitation. Maybe that would be more, make us ponder who its from, what it really meant. If I passed you a card with a rainbow on the front and BE HAPPY on the inside. What is the first thing you would think.. Here’s a dialogue.

THOUGHTS--

1)    Aww.. nice to get this…

2)   What a sweet card!

3)   Someone was thinking of me

4)   Is it an occasion?

5)    Who is this from?

6)   There isn’t a name on it..

7)    That’s weird, how did it get there?

8)   Anyone see who left this?

9)   Hmm, we’ll I’ll find out, I am sure they will say something.

 

I can see this as clear as day… the steps. But what if you never knew who sent it to you… would you stop at #3. The most impact of them all.. "someone was thinking of me." Is that the shoulder we wanted left for us to cry on? Is that the friend we just wanted to know they were there? are you the one person who can heal my pain? My pain of thoughts...It's human nature to want this.. I can't describe it. We crave it. Approval, recognition--secretly and/or loudly--proudly. Someone to take an interested. In me.. in you. And the signature, the giver.. It matters who it was from, right? Yes, okay. But why does a meaningful thing have to mean more from one person. Why can’t it all be meaningful? Friend or foe, we need to support eachother, we try to stick together. We are one and you can be one. One card, one dream.. Are you living  your dreams?

and more, the collection never ends of the ungiven

Do you agree?

Some more to tickle your fancy?

Classy

To the great cards out there...

A card I should plan on re-giving

And yes, I bought two of these. I sent one to my sister :)

How could I part with this one.. Laughed my butt off in the gas station on the drive to Ohio

Appropriate often for me and I am sure others. I hope this one gets a lotta loving

Re-Give

It's not recycle--not even re-use. It's ReGive. Let a message live... let a moment happen twice, three, seven. In two ways from one. Interpreted same or a whole new meaning. Wow- what it can be. Can we understand? We give to charitys. We feel good. We pass on messages. We feel good. We help. Can a saying mean so much? Can it save us in our struggles, the hardships, the bad times. Can it celebrate the good times. Over and over, from one to the next. Intense—you may not think so. But could it be the makeover we need. To be in touch and hold to the promises we make to ourselves and others. Can one that is passed on and on make that big of an impact. Would we know or would we feel it? Maybe I get to deep about this but maybe its just my passionate shining through. I bet I can make it happen. Could this be the “new” way to feel good, the next “pay it forward.” An evolution of sentiment.

 

And the benefits of saving the environment. The feel-good in that. One more thing to extend a year to the aging earth due to our everyday destruction or carelessness. I know we don’t all recycle—plastic bottles, cans—even the best can’t be perfect. I don’t pretend I do my part. I have guilt there just like I have guilt for my others. I could see this being easy. A quick fix to a glitch under discovered and unknown. The waste of paper but is thoughtfulness a waste… Money spent virtually down the drain but for touching someone’s heart. It’s sort of a win. I wonder if I should think of how it could be inconvenienced or hurtful in some way. I guess I have a lot to think about. But as my first blog, I’ll work it out in the eyes of the public. With your input. Your push. Just thoughts.. merely thoughts I hope to become actions.

Care to challenge, one card at a time

Recently I have been thinking about the greeting cards I receive.. and the greeting cards I buy. And about the cost they are.  So expensive. And I think- "they are just going to throw this away." I could put that $4.00 + tax towards the gift I am giving. Or save a little pocket change. But pocket change- yay, right! These things cost $3.95, $2.50, $4.20 a pop.. need I say more? Musical cards-- forget it. I am not trying to put the Greeting Card makers out of business-- I just am struggling with all the purchases of these cards. And yes, we have those "savers" out there. In fact, my mother saves all her christmas cards. She is smart like that, using them at Christmas to spruce up a wrapped present or even that paper bag she wrapped in. She just cuts the front off, with its decked out Christmas tree or Santa's sleigh and tiny reindeer. And she tapes it on a package, just like that. "To Natasia, From Santa." A great way to use them. Sometimes she even cuts them to show the white part with the red greeting saying"Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas." Perfect for a gift tag. But does it stop there? Yes, what happens.. we throw them a way with the wrapping paper. Gone. Sure we could recycle them to be in the next recycled greeting card. Yes, what a cool concept. But guess who will be in the store paying double the price of a normal card for it. Am I paying for the processing to save the environment? Aren't we paying enough in our lungs and our soul? Do I really need to whip out my credit card to show I care.. care for a friend, care to save the world. No. 

People still appreciate a good "snail" mail. No matter what the internet brings it will never erase the joy of getting a hand written letter or card in your mailbox amongst a pile of bills, junk mail, flyers, ads, the latest and greatest new restaurant's menu. I light up every time. Just today I got a card in the mail-- with stickers on it. 25 years old and I am not going to lie. Those stickers made me smile. And what to my surprise, a greeting card. Just to say hello. No occasion-- the best kind. But there are birthday cards, and christmas cards, and note cards, fathers day, mother's day, grandparent's day, valentine's day, st patrick's day, easter. You name it CARDS. lots and lots of cards. Have a baby, here's a card. Getting engaged? Have a card. Bar Mitzvah? Here I wasted $2.50 on this to say I care. Now I am not degrading the care part. And I certainly am not saying stop all card transactions and card sending. I love it, I like it, I will continue it. But how about re-gifting these greeting cards. A new form of recycling a card. Passing it on. Like "pay it forward" but re-giving the same. Showing the care you just received because it's that good. And you care for them, your wallet, and your world.

Would you be offended? I wonder this. To get a used dirty card? A previously written on card. Second hand. Already enjoyed..something that was said to someone else. Does it loose its meaning? Is it cheap? Will you think less of me? Or will you admire me. Would you think it's smart?

Isn't there something fun in that? Interesting? Passing on a greeting card. Seeing a message heard round the US, round the world. I mean wouldn't that be a greeting card writer's dream? Okay maybe I am out of control but think of it. Cards get out dated, the run off the shelf, new cards fill old cards spot. They say different things. But this way a saying could live on. Touch so many people. Haven't you ever found a great or hilarious card you almost didn't want to give up or send because it was that good. Guilty as charged-- I know you have. Besides a candle shop smelling the worst and best candles, I can't think of anything more to do in an aisle that crack up and be touched by these cards. lame right? hey, i think its cool :) You know you do it too. And I know you have those cards. I mean I even read them to good friends before I give them. I hoard them until the last possible minute or honestly some I can't wait to give away. Can't we pass those great cards on? Is it true that the most hilarious card will stop with you? Or the way you will be touched by that sentiment will roll off your tongue to be lost in the air and headed for the trash. Is that what our thoughts are-- trash? Okay maybe I am over dramatic and a little crazy but you gotta admit it could be a thing. The next thing.  I have to make it catch on. I need your help-- you interested? I want you to want it just like me.. to get fired up.. to send your first card. Thanks for listening.