Today I received a heartwarming email from someone I have never met. In fact, I never knew Lawrence existed until about a week ago.

Let me share my story:

When I was five years old I spent a month in England with my grandmother. We went to visit my uncle (her son) who was stationed there in the Army. We met lots of people and one couple, whom I have corresponded with ever since. Well, the husband, “Uncle” Stanley, passed on a few years ago and the woman, “Aunt” Joyce, passed on a couple of weeks ago. My uncle was asked to fly to the UK to conduct her memorial service, so she has been very close with him all these years. My uncle shared an email from Joyce’s nephew, Lawrence, with details of her service, etc. His mailing address was included in the email, so I sent him a card…. telling him how I met Joyce and Stanley when I was five, how she sent me treats and magazines as a child (very cool coming from the UK) and ALWAYS a Christmas card. In the later years of his life, Stanley took up oil painting. My brother has his very first painting hanging in his living room. So I told Lawrence how dear Joyce was and although I had not seen her in over 40 years – I loved our connection. I had a photo of her from my uncle that I included in the card. If I did not have the program I use to send greeting cards from my computer (that show up in the mail with a real stamp, mind you), I would probably not have sent a card to Lawrence. Of course I should have, but as I said, I never knew Lawrence, so I may not have thought it worth the time to go out and buy a card, write it, address it, print the photo, then go out again, to the post office – because who knows how much it would cost to send my card to the UK. Today I received the most wonderful email from Lawrence in response to my card. When I travel to the UK, I will look him up. This is why I think EVERYONE needs to have a way to send greeting cards that’s easy, personalized and affordable. It makes it possible for us to stay connected with others in ways we would not, otherwise. I was thrilled to have made a heartfelt contribution to Lawrence and his family – and touched to receive such a lovely message from someone I have yet to meet.

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