What Does Your Sign Say?

Part I

Imagine that we all have a sign that we carry around with us everywhere we go. This sign tells other people what we’re all about. As you carry on with your day, how many signs would you see that say, “YOU!” Probably not many. In fact, we would be surrounded by neon signs flashing “ME, ME , ME!” How refreshing would it be, then, to find that one person in the crowd who cares about YOU?

As you go through life, are you flashing your “Me” sign? When you meet new people, do you give them a card, tell them about you, and move on? When you meet up with an old friend, do you hurry and get out everything going on in your life and then realize later that you forgot to ask about them? Or, are you taking time to find out what makes others special? Do you tell the people you love that you appreciate who they are in tangible ways?

At the core of a woman’s heart is the need for relationships. However, because we have packed our lives so full of what is “necessary,” so many of us have been neglecting what’s important—our relationships. So many of us take the little time we have and do a little shout out for ourselves, and then move on to the next person, without really taking time to appreciate the person we’re with for who they are. That, in turn, has left a huge void in our lives. Because we aren’t making the time to send out appreciation to the people we care about, we’re allowing a part of our souls to wither away. It’s time we begin to nurture our hearts again. Tell the people you care about that you appreciate them in a tangible way—write a letter, send a card, send a gift! E-mails are great, but you can’t carry them around with you.

When I was in college, my Dad sent me a card. It was just like him—a little dry humor and just a few words to say “I miss you and I love you.” My Dad died just about a year after sending that card to me, and it’s now one of my most treasured possessions, because it’s a piece of him and his heart. It was him telling me that I was special to him.

If you’re like me, you want to send cards. You want to tell people that you care about them, but you just can’t seem to find the time. There are too many things vying for your attention. Because a card doesn’t seem to be life or death, it goes to the bottom of the pile until the need to send it has passed. So millions of people out there aren’t being told, “I love you,” “I miss you, “ “you’re special.”

I have a friend who is absolutely amazing! She has four kids, works full-time, is going to nursing school, and runs marathons! I sent her a card a while back just telling her that I think she’s great and that I am proud of her. I found out later that she keeps the card in her glove box so that she can pull it out when she’s having a rough day. How awesome is that!?!

Take time today to send a little note to someone you love. Tell them you appreciate them. Take the time to be present in someone else’s life. Turn off the ME sign, and turn on the YOU sign, if only for a moment.

…Karen

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