Not Much of a Hallmark Moment

I am not a “card” kind of person. I hate trying to pick one out at the store, and feel dumb trying to think of the right thing to inscribe on the inside. I can’t do it. I think I’m missing some crucial “card giving” gene, it just isn’t something I do well at all. I worry and fret far too much about the card, and what it says, and how the recipient might interpret it, and then just end up with a headache over some silly little old card. Now my sister-in-law, she makes  her own cards, all by hand. They are beautifully hand crafted, all individually made with loving care, with hand written sentiments inside, each one a miniature work of art to be saved and treasured long after the special occasion has passed. And not just a handmade card every once in a great while, but one for each of us for every birthday and anniversary, every year. And believe me, these cards are not made to take up the extra time she has, because she is swamped  with her family, and school, and work….I still have no idea how she does it, but believe me, I am in total awe of her talents. (love you Debi!)

   And then there is me. I just spent a good hour the other day, standing in a daze in front of the huge  card section the other day, trying to find a nice card for my dear friend’s birthday. I finally found one that was good enough, but frankly, not amazing, but I bought it anyways. Then I proceeded to attempt the even more difficult task of trying to think of the best message to write on the inside. So I start, get a third of the way into it, and screw it up. So of course now I feel like crying because I had spent all that time picking out the dumb card, and then went and made a total mess out of it. So I cut off the bottom part of the card, and instead wrote a brief, and somewhat halting sentiment on the back of the what would normally have been the front of the card, stuffed it into it’s envelope, and gave it to her with the gift I had for her as well. She’s still speaking to me, so it must have been ok, but I still managed to waste more time than was necessary agonizing over that dopey card all the same. There has to be an easier way. Not that I have any idea what it might be…