One Card

I never used to save greeting cards. This may sound a little cold, but I just didn’t see the point. I do not like clutter, and cards can pile up quickly. I figured that once I got the message and saw the pretty picture, the card no longer served a purpose. I simply tossed it out after reading it. Over the years, I have thrown away thousands of cards, but one card changed all of that.

It wasn’t a card from a relative or friend who I lost or anything like that. The card was quite simple and it just made me think differently about greeting cards in general. This one card had a photo of my niece and nephew reading a book by candlelight. The picture was taken at the J.C. Penny photo studio. Under the picture, my sister wrote, “Wishing you a wonderful holiday this year and in the years to come.”

I’m not sure why this one card stood out as compared to the sentimental piles of cards that I have received over the years, but I think that it had to do with the combination of the picture and the message. The picture of my niece and nephew made me think of them looking over photographs and reminiscing years from now. I thought that maybe one of the items they would come across would have been from their Aunt, and this made me really understand the importance of preserving things for the future.

I do not have one card saved from my childhood. Now I can’t remember a single card and I think that I have missed out on something. I often wonder what it would be like to read cards and letters saved over the years. There are so many memories that could have been sparked through the cards. I may remember flashes from Christmases past, birthdays and special moments that were marked with a greeting card. Much of the memory is lost and I can’t help but think that one card could spark a memory for me.

I have started to save select cards from special occasions and holidays, starting with that one card that has made me rethink the difference between clutter and sentiment. I am doing this for my child as well. We just celebrated her first birthday and I have kept each and every card from her party. She is too young to let me know which ones she wants to keep, so I’m holding on to each and every card. One card may touch her heart and remind her of how loved she is now and in the future.