The noblest of deeds

 I went to the pharmacy yesterday to buy a mothers day card. Mom lives in Florida,as most retired New Yorkers of her generation do, and so I had best get that thing mailed. Yeah, Mom doesn't do e-mail or anything like that. I think she is a little scared of the whole internet and computer thing.She will barely touch a cell phone. Yes it is definitely snail mail for her. As I looked through the cards, the selection wasn't that great this year, I was thinking about all the cards and letters I have mailed her over the years. Mom is a saver and I'm certain she has a few that meant something special to her stashed away. I keep cards around for a few months before throwing them out. I know Mother will be expecting her card.

 After paying for the card, not a very elaborate or particularly fancy one, I was thinking about the price of that card. Four dollars and nineteen cents. A stamp to mail it is forty nine cents. You might as well say five bucks ! That reminded me of when I was in school. I would save my lunch money, fifty cents a day, and use it at Ross M Fanning jewelers on Newtown Lane. Mrs. Fanning was also my sunday school teacher and allowed me to " pay on time " at her store. If I took that fifty cents every day for two weeks that amounted to five dollars. Now five dollars would get you a pair of earrings or maybe a necklace. Oh they weren't 18 karat gold or anything but they wouldn't turn your ears green either. Mrs. Fanning would throw the wrapping in for free ! I figured it was because I was " special " but in reality she did it for all the kids. Thinking back on that makes me smile. Seems like quite a few of the adults I knew had ways of making you feel special. Mrs. Fanning took you into her confidence saying, don't tell anyone, this is between you and I. I made sure to make that " payment " every day so as not to disappoint her. 

 After writing in the card and mailing it I wondered how many cards are being mailed for this holiday. I began to think about all greeting cards. The best answer I could find estimates that the mailing of greeting cards has reduced, in the United States, by about 1.3 billion since 1993 and the introduction of e-mail. The card companies claim to be making a comeback and are not in any danger of collapse. They have had to diversify a good bit though. And I ran across an interesting little fact in the process, the average home will go seven weeks, on average, before getting any handwritten correspondence of any kind. It was once, twice a week. Yes, it is due to all the electronic mail and social media that we use instead. A good portion of letters that we write we now print off the computer as well. About the best you can hope for is a signature. The times they are a'changin'.

 So I wrote a few endearing ( I hope ) words inside the front cover of that card. A Hallmark card because I care enough to send the very best. Funny how that campaign sticks in my head and how effective it is. I feel cheap sending anything less than a Hallmark, and isn't that silly ? It is the thought that counts ! I had better think Hallmark though. I admit that I look for my birthday card and Christmas card to come every year. I watch for a note or a letter from my best friend, who also doesn't do social media, although he may call. The grandkids, as far as I know, very rarely get a piece of mail that is personal correspondence. I wonder if that will change for them or will it always be electronic communications ? You can't seal a tweet with a kiss ! It is also difficult to "scent" an e-mail. 

Waiting for the mail. It can be a frustrating experience as there is nothing you can do, but wait. It does teach patience though. I order things online occasionally and find myself looking for the mailman. Well, maybe it will come tomorrow. That's the thing about the mail, you never know. You have to plan ahead, get that card or letter mailed in time, and you have to wait for it to arrive. It could be days ! 

 In this modern world of rush,rush,rush, we can learn a lot from the mail. Oh, and that five dollars that it cost to buy and mail that card ? It is worth every cent, just like skipping lunch for two weeks. It is Mother's day and she does deserve the very best, as do all our friends and relatives. Taking the time to pick out a card, write in it, and mail it shows that you thought about them. And that is the true purpose of those cards and letters. It is the thought that counts but it is the investment of your time that adds value. Giving your time and attention to others is the noblest of deeds.

"The human contribution is the essential ingredient, It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live."  ----  Ethel Percy Andrus