The Handwritten Note

Thank you notes used to be a chore. I remember birthdays and Christmases followed by pressure from my mom to write a thank you note. I didn't get the point. I'd already said thank you, so why was a note necessary? As I got older, the debates centered less around saying thank you for gifts and more around sending handwritten thank you notes to potential employers. The idea of writing a note instead of sending an email felt antiquated.

This post is me saying, "Mom, you were right." College, a long distance relationship, interviewing, and studying abroad showed me the value of a handwritten note. These days, I think it is less about the courtesy of a formal note and more about the sentiment. A handwritten note says, "I value you, and here is something you can keep to remember that you are appreciated."

Lately, I've been enjoying putting pieces of myself into the notes I send and the gifts that I give. I can easily spend a half an hour making the card look pretty with hand lettering and watercolor before I even get around to writing the note. The whole process of preparing the note is relaxing to me, and (hopefully) encouraging to the reader. It's a win-win!

I'd like to see handwritten notes make a comeback. Here are a few ways you can incorporate them into your life:

• Write a birthday note instead of posting on Facebook or sending a text
• Send a handwritten note for any gift you receive
• If you're a guest in someone else's home, place a handwritten note on your pillow when you leave
• Give an encouraging note to a friend who is having a rough day
• Write a letter to your beau, even if you aren't long distance
• Send a thank you note to your interviewer. Write it as soon as the interview is over and put it in the mail the same day as the interview
• And, my personal favorite, write a note to someone just because

The notes don't have to be pretty, just heartfelt. I challenge you to write one this week!

Share the love (and the handwritten goodness),

Taylor