“This year there will be more attention to the fabrics against my skin, to the companion that is tea, and the miracle of the mug’s solidity in my hand. There will be surrender to everything that curves. -Tara Sophia Mohr”
I’ve been thinking a lot of the fresh start that comes along with each new year new second a lot lately, and I’ve had that last line “surrendering to everything that curves” on my mind since I first read it. I don’t know about you…wait- yes I do…but I’d sure love be intentional about loving in new directions. (Notice I used the word “new”, not “different”.) It’s really just about blazing a few new (to me), positive paths- and I sure would like to lock e-arms with you on it. I like to think that blogs are for brainstorming and sharing all kinds of ideas, and like Oliver Herford said, there’s no time like the pleasant!
We could start super simple, with a hearty side of significant. Heck, we could keep it super simple, with a hearty side of significant. That’s the whole point, right? I’ll start by throwing out an idea that was inspired by these photos I found online a while back:
Oh, how much those kinds of gestures matter, don’t you think? Seeing thoughtful notes like those inspires me so much, and based on the comments you’ve left for me (and others) to find here over the past 5 years, I’m sure you feel the same way, too. (That reminds me, one of my favorite parts of blogging is the sense of adventure and discovery that comes along with it. You never know how I’m going to start a conversation, and I never know how you’re going to add to it! The comment section is such an encouraging place to visit, and I have so much fun creating posts in the space above it to share with you, too!)
Will you join me in/hold me accountable for writing a handwritten note to someone this week? Like I said, we can keep it super simple. The note can be for anyone- a family member, a friend, a co-worker, someone you don’t know- anyone. Let’s just decide on that in the moment.
Let me know what you think, and in the meantime: here’s to simple significance, memories that beat like hearts, and living out our questions- so that we can live out our answers, too!
Great idea! I would love to get back to popping a note in the mail for someone instead of always using email.
Yay! 😀 Thanks for joining in, Danica!
I love reading your posts! This one is a good timing kinda thing because just last night I was up writing my two girls a letter each for each night that we’ll be away. My husband and I have decided to take a vacation without the kids for the first time EVER (the kids are 6 and 9 years old – and YES, I’m already experiencing separation anxiety!), we’ll be away for 4 nights starting on January 8th. I wrote out 4 letters to each of them and will have my parents give them one letter each night before they go to bed. It doesn’t completely make up for a good night hug and kiss, but it will be a nice surprise for them nonetheless!
Cate- I know you’re on vacation right now, but I just wanted to leave you a note to find when you got back. I hope you had an amazing trip and that you’re hugging your girls again right now! 😀
You are such a thoughtful person- thank you for encouraging and inspiring us to be that way too! I think this is a beautiful idea, and I am going to see if I can do it this next week. Love your heart, faith, and kind nature girlfriend 😉
Love YOUR heart, faith and kind nature, girlfriend! 😀
I love this idea. We are becoming to lazy with our technology, hand-written means you sat down and spared the time. x
High five, Katherine! 😀
Awesome! I once “paid it forward” when someone in the grocery line in front of me found out they had no money left on their pre-paid credit card. The woman started crying, her husband embarrassed, and they were going to go home empty handed! God SCREAMED in my ear to help them…long story short, they went home with their groceries. And I did all this because I once was in their shoes and some stanger had helped me!!! I’ve never told anyone this story….except my husband (who I mistakenly thought would be mad at me)…. I love the thought of doing things and not getting anything out of it but PURE JOY!
What a beautiful idea!
How awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that story! 😀
It feels like the movie “Pay it Forward”. I think it is a great idea. I would love to participate. I drive a school bus, and one of the lessons in training, was to make sure that we greet our children every day. Because we may be the only person to tell them Good Morning, or Have a Good Day, I love the little faces when I greet them, or tell to have a fabulous day. Even my disgruntled teens have a smile when they get off my bus. Love, Love, Love doing stuff like this. I am all in!!
Bless your heart for looking at “our” children like that!! Both my mom & my aunt work in the elementary school where my 3 children attend. I love to hear the stories of how comassionate those kids can be toward one another!!And, we just never know what burdens those little hearts are carrying 🙁
Love, love, loved reading that, Carol! Thank you!!! 😀
I shared this on my facebook page because it really touched my heart and motivates me to try harder. Texts and email are quick, but even the loving thought is just a fleeting thing. Something about hand writing seems more contemplative and valuable. I need to do for others what I appreciate. I’m 67 and retired. I have time.
Thank you for the share, Vel! I am so happy to hear that you’re up for the fun! 🙂
I love the idea Layla and will definitely join in. Thanks for always digging a little deeper and going past the surface to get your readers to self-reflect. It’s always an encouragement.
-Monica
Interestingly enough, I hand wrote Christmas thank you notes this year and wrote a letter to my parents once a month this past year. I also “paid it forward” several years ago for some sweet older person, who had left her wallet at home.
This past year I stopped using e-cards and bought birthday and occasion cards to send my loved ones.
As much as I love technology, I so want to continue putting pen/pencil to paper and sending words to people I love.
Me too! Thank you for leaving this comment, Anna Laura! 🙂
I had an “aha” moment probably 25 years ago that drives me still today. As I left church , a deacon handed me the weekly flyer we received every Sunday morning. As I read through it later, I read a suggestion that I continue to live by. The gist was, we have the ability to make someone else’s day by just saying (or writing a note) something kind. It questioned us asking, “how hard is that”? Ever since that day, I make it a point to say something kind to anyone I can. As I walk past a student I don’t know at school I might say, “nice shoes” or “I love the pattern on your backpack”. To a colleague, I might mention something kind a student has told me about the teacher. I have had students write in my yearbook at the end of the year that they appreciated my recognizing them.
When my daughter was struggling with a particular friendship, I told her what I do. She has adopted the practice and she said she couldn’t believe the change in the friendship when she made the effort each day to make one upbeat comment.
My philosophy is that the recipient probably “passes it on” to the next person they see.
I LOVE this, Carol! And I think you may have just created Simple, With A Hearty Side Of Significant project #2! 😀
I love the flicker idea and the hand written note. Seeing someone’s handwriting means a lot in reality. I bought a compendium product called gratitude, and its 52 thank you cards to send in a year, so ill be participating in your e-arm linking.
Ooh- yay! I’m expecting my Gratitude kit to arrive any day now too, and I’m so excited to get started on it! 😀 Thanks for e-linking arms with me!
Layla…you really hit home for me with this post. I make a point to always write a handwritten thank you whenever we stay at a friend’s home or just spend time with someone we haven’t seen in a while. Email is great too, but I don’t think there is any substitute for getting a personal letter in the mail. I am always stunned at how many young people don’t write thank you notes for gifts anymore! It’s the epitome of good upbringing and establishes the routine of making personal connections for the rest of our lives. I’m in love with the idea of paying the check for a random someone. What a sweet gesture! I plan to try that one myself. Keep up the good work and God Bless. Joanne
I agree, Joanne! Here’s to more pens and paper! 😀
I LOVE snail mail and intentional notes.
In the love languages, I’m a “words” girl so it makes sense. It just means so much that someone takes the time to write what they are thinking.
I love ’em too, Kristin! And while I’ve got you, thank you for always leaving such kind comments. I truly appreciate each and every one! 🙂
Should I leave a mean one just to throw you off?
Naaaaah.
Great idea! Doin’ it!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Angela! 😀 #HighFive
Love it. I’m in!
Yay! This is going to be so fun! 😀
I adore hand-written notes. I have one from one of my friends from school pinned to the side of my mirror, she wrote it in Spanish, her native language. Makes me smile every time I see it 🙂
Love the idea – I’m a fan of handwritten notes and think it’s a lost art. Am happy to be part of this.
I can always count on you, Layla, to give me food for thought and inspire me in ways I never expect. 🙂 A handwritten note is such a personal powerful gesture… love this idea.
xo Heidi
I’m in…. I don’t know how to use Flickr (can u believe that???) but will give it the old college try.
This post is sticking with me no matter how many times I try to click away from it. Yes! Let’s write a note this week. Hold me accountable too! ~Sally
so timely… just wrote a thank you via email and apologized for not using snail mail! i think i will make amends! thanks for reminding us to take the time for others, in the little simple stuff!
met a friend of yours yesterday… (Restore Interiors) it was just an amazing time with amazing woman~ talked for over four hours! left refreshed and encouraged about sharing my life and faith through blogging!! realizing the importance of this blogging world/community! thankful!
~ Natalie
This is a wonderful idea, Layla. Anything handwritten feels so rare and special these days–in other words, significant!
I pray that 2013 holds great blessings for you and Kevin. 🙂
Great idea! I’ll do it. Thanks for always encouraging me.
An awesome idea Layla! I probably spend far too much time online but it is my connection to the outside world when I live in a relatively isolated place. I try to ‘pay it forward’ when I can, and I believe it comes back to you. Maybe not in the same way or from the same person, but it does come back. I will write a note for someone else today – a real letter. Thanks for sharing and being inspiring. <3
I have a blog, too. Not as significant as yours, mostly just for me and a couple of friends. I posted my New Year’s resolutions last week and — no fooling — one of them was to write a handwritten note once a week. So naturally I’ll participate!
Wonderful inspiration! I would definitely like to participate. Now to keep my eyes, ears and heart open to what comes next : )
Hey Layla, I want you to know that I have prayed for you often in the last few years. It made my day the other day when you posted the photo of you getting baptized.I called my daughter to make sure she knew it. I never commented before , but felt you would like to know that someone you knew
had prayed for you ! Love, Til’ He Comes, Mary
Sweet idea and I especially like the thought having all this bundled into a Flickr group.
I love, love, love this idea. My hubby and I are constantly “paying it forward” to friends, family, complete strangers. We just let our intuition guide us when the time is right–and it always brings us so much joy–not to mention delicious goosebumps! 😉 After I read your blog, I sat down and wrote a note to my newly adopted daughter (she lost her biological Mom when she was 2 years old) to tuck in her Christmas gift. Yes, I’m a little late but here in our home, we say “Every day is Christmas, and every night is New Year’s Eve! So, count me in on this absolutely amazing idea! Much love and gratitude going out to you, Layla!
What a wonderful idea!
this is great. i have been meaning to write a note to my kids teachers for a while now and this is the push i need!
I love this idea!
What a great idea. I’m going to write my oldest son who is a freshman at PSU a letter this week. He left today to start his second semester and I already miss him. He has a kind soul and makes us so proud to be his parents. I’ll also put a note in my youngest lunch box this week. He has been having a hard time due to being sick and will need a little pick me up.
Thanks for a great idea. I may just try to write someone weekly.
Our family has committed to being more intentional in our writing, too! This is the year of the hand-written note!
Our kids got packs of thank you notes in their stockings, and we spent two mornings filling them out and mailing them. I will not be too cheap to buy a couple of books of stamps to say thank-you! (I have to repeat this to myself often when my thriftiness veers toward stinginess.)
LOVE this…we write little notes to each other in my family ALL the time. As a matter of fact I have kept several of my daughters. I am a scrapbooker and several of them I do in fact scrap. Her notes are priceless…simple things like where she is going, that she did feed the puppies, that they did go potty, and sometimes if I could pack her a lunch for work; They are nothing more than PRICELESS!!! Its so wonderful to hear/see others that they mean allot to also:) Thanks as always for this wonderful awesome blog!
Sincerely~
Lisa W. 🙂
I’m in! I love random inspiring notes, little acts of kindness, seeds of love….whatever you want to call it. It really is simple but HUGELY significant, love God, love others.
Fondly,
Heather
Wakarusa, IN
Instead of buying a mass-produced birthday card, I just wrote a note to my mom for her birthday, telling her how special she is and how much I love her. It’s her first birthday after my dad’s death (he was killed in a hit and run accident in September and we are reeling from the shock, still) and I just wanted her to know how very much she is loved. I had an old photo of my parents at a formal event in the late 60’s restored and sent that to her as well. I still keep a few handwritten notes I’ve received over the years as special treasures.
Hi Lynn,
I’m so sorry for your enormous loss. Of course you are still reeling. Sudden, unexpected loss is very hard. Our son died very suddenly and unexpectedly 6 years ago, and there are still days that I look at his picture and think “How is it that you are not here?” I can say (only for myself…it’s different for everyone), it does get more manageable with time. Hang in there.
Thank you, Amanda. And I am sorry for your loss, too. After I commented the other day, I was blessed in a big way by a lovely friend who brought me a bouquet of flowers and a sweet, handwritten note. Isn’t God good? He knows our needs and sends us angels.
Amanda, you are so kind to respond to Lynn like that. Thank you for sharing your heart here, too. I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your family, and hope that you’re doing okay today. Kevin and I will include you both in our prayers tonight. *hug*
Oh, Lynn- I am so sorry to hear about what happened. 🙁 Giving your mom that handwritten note and restored photo was so thoughtful, and I know she cherishes them very much. I feel blessed to be able to connect with you here, and I’m so glad you shared your heart. Thank you- truly. Sending you a very big virtual bear hug today, my friend!
I think this is a fantastic idea! It reminds me of my Mother. From time to time throughout my teen years & as an early adult she would mail me a card just to drop a special note. Mind you, we lived in the same home. It was her way of taking a extra step to make something more special & meaningful. I will never forget those cards. Heck, I probably still have some of them! A few kind words are worth so much!
I love love love this! As I was reading your post I thought of a handful of people I would love to write a note to. So I’ m in.
I hope someone will send notes. I’m not very good at expressing my emotions or thoughts. This a great motivator and acts as a guide . It makes me smile also.
I love this idea!!! Super sweet super simple! Now I just have to make sure that I get some stamps haha!!
I handwrote two notes just today. In one I enclosed a tiny paper sack into which I stuffed four pretty dyed skeleton leaves. For an eight year old. When I sealed the envelope I felt like a winner.
Get out your note cards or pretty paper now. A green gel pen, too. *My favorite.*
Layla, I love reading your blog. Not sure how I actually found it, but it has been a tremendous blessing to me. I feel like I actually know you….thanks for being so transparent and real!
Oh how this makes my heart happy. I’ve been journaling for years and there is something so magical about writing by hand in this digital world. It truly is a release of feelings and your heart really does flow right down your arm through the ink and to the paper. Add a person on the other end of that writing and your heart goes out into the world. Love it!!
Amen, Sista! I know I feel so loved when I get a note or card in the snail mail. I also feel the same way when I send one out.
I am a big writer of notes! I always use darling notecards, pretty stationary and a fountain pen. I love that personal touch, just knowing that the intended person will handle what I have handled.
nice post Layla……I love these fuzzy posts!
Wonderful and thoughtful post Layla as always. I plan on doing this this week for both my husband sync my daughter. In this day of technology, I really don’t tell them what really needs yo be said.
I love this. I don’t think people realize the impact their words and gestures can have on strangers.
Once during a particularly rough time with my son acting out at soccer I was feeling somewhat defeated. When I had removed him from the field, (overhearing words around me like terrible) I tried to acknowledge his frustration while also getting him to apologize to those affected by his behaviour, his teammates and his coach. And then I returned to my sit wondering if I had any impact on him. Worrying. He did apologize but I still was unsure of me.
And then out of the corner of my eye I saw legs appear and slow down. I looked up into the warm eyes of another child’s grandfather as he left. He touched my shoulder and told me “you are a good mother”.
He has no idea what a gift he gave me that day.
And I am trying to become more present in my life so that I can reach out and do the same for others.
Love this post.
xo
This is an awesome idea…like everyone has said, a few words at the right time can change your entire outlook on life.
Great post, thanks for sharing 🙂
Beautiful Idea….
I mailed 6 thank you notes yesterday, as I know how thrilled I am to find something in my street mailbox written by a friend. Actually, before Christmas, I shopped at a Waterford outlet store in Destin, Fl. I was totally taken aback, when a couple of weeks later I received a lovely hand written note from the person who waited on me. Never, in my life, had that happened and I am 65 years old…..great marketing, I would say. Guess I am just saying hand written notes are empowering in more ways than one.
I love to leave my husband little love notes in surprise places every now and then. I have not done this in awhile. Thank you for the reminder!