Paper Paper Paper

It is amazing to me the articles of "things" we have, that go unnoticed until it is time to get rid of them. I was cleaning out my back room for the hundredth, millionth time and I came across a tote that was full and I mean full of stationary! Ok, ok, I admit, I have a thing for paper. I love writing paper, pens, pencils, anything at all to do with stationary. When the craze of journaling started to happen, you can only imagine how in my heaven I was. I love journaling. Back in the day in the time of high school, I took a creative writing class, and I was finished with the class about 6 weeks before it was over, all because I was a spiral notebook journaling junkie! I love to write, love to think of writing all kinds of things, so of course, what do you use to write on...........paper! In my tote, I looked at so many different kinds of paper. There are beautiful, antique looking cards, that have the yellow casted glow that makes them look vintage. There are the funny cards that make me laugh every time I read them, and I realize they are in the tote, because they probably aren't appropriate to give to anyone for fear of being not so politically correct. But the small cards, letter writing stationary, cards I bought for romantic times when I must of been newly in love and he was my everything, were in the tote waiting for me to pass on.

I looked at every single piece of paper in that tote, and realized as I was sitting in the 105 degree weather in Arizona, that the charm of a card or hand written letter is basically gone. We communicate with text message, email, and any other technical means we can, anything, as long as it doesn't take as long as putting the pen to the paper. You have to admit, there is something to be said for a birthday greeting in the mail from a friend that "remembered"! I don't knock the online way of doing things, but there was a source of comfort in knowing a friend thought of your birthday with a hand scribbled note on a calendar or a crumpled piece of a note in their wallet. I remember taking a newly given calendar that I received as a Christmas present and writing all of the birth dates on it, so it would be ready for me in the brand sparkling New Year. I bought my cards and organized them in the little pouches for the month, and at the beginning of the month, I would pull my beautiful, heartfelt cards out and make sure they were address and ready to go, stamp and all. Don't get me wrong, E-cards are wonderful and I use them all the time, but there is always something about the feel of paper between your fingers as you open the card and wonder what someone has to say to you on your special day. So many mementos exist for us, as we undo boxes full of child hood or adulthood memories from our parents, and the comfort of just seeing the hand written scribble, of "Love, Mom and Dad."

My obsession with stationary was multiplied to four or five totes, full of gorgeous envelopes, stickers for the envelopes, pretty decorations for the journals, and all the other wonderful things that come from old fashioned cards and letters. I sat in that back room for hours going through it all, and you know what came of those hours..........lids back on the totes with the stationary remaining there and a promise to myself.......That promise is to take myself, and others, back in time the old fashioned way. I bought myself a pretty new address book. I also pulled out my greeting card organizer, and got my list of birthdays. It is time for me to try and uphold an old and fading tradition........writ ting a letter to a friend, letting them know, in my own hand writing, that I miss them and cherish them. Birthdays this year for me are going to mean, I took the time a few days before, to write you a note, fill a fun card with confetti, and wish you a beautiful and wonderful birthday!

Did someone say recycle, reuse.........I say we recycle the old fashioned thought of a greeting card.....Can you feel yourself smile as you think of the friends that are thinking of you! Hugs