Notes expressing gratitude seem to be a thing of the past for a lot of us these days. The handwritten note of friendship or thanks has been replaced by the e-mail and the text message. Yes, the handwritten note might possibly be dead for most of us, but it is not dead to me. Just earlier today I wrote a thank-you note to a friend.

I’ve saved all of my birthday cards received since I was nineteen years young. Honestly, I’ve saved cards of all sorts since around that age. I have old shoe boxes full of Christmas and birthday and friendship and get-well-soon cards. I appreciate that someone thought so much of me to let me know through a card or note how much they valued me.

It can be tremendous fun to enjoy a form of communication that takes more time and is more difficult and even costly…