February 22, 2022 — This Little Reminders card inside reads, “You will find your way.” When we first published it, I thought, “cute!” and didn’t give it much thought beyond that. But I’ve since come to love looking at that clever and persistent cat, Fern, while calling to mind all the friends who could use her reassuring message. “You will find your way.”

Yesterday I sent this card to a friend who has not yet found her way out of a relationship she knows is doing her more harm than good; I want her to feel me rooting for her. Today I’m sending it to a friend who has been in a commuter marriage for two years now and is growing increasingly frustrated that she can’t find a job she loves in the same city as the woman she loves even more. I’ve also slipped it in with fresh-baked oatmeal cranberry cookies to overnight to our CEO Ana … she wants to come from her home office in snowy Denver to spend a few weeks putting our heads together here on sunny Miami Beach, but she can’t quite figure out how to manage that with her new rescue pup Betty in tow. “You will find your way.”

The message couldn’t be more fitting for the photographer who snapped the picture: As you’ll see by her cardie profile, with four cards already to her credit, Contributing Cardie Mauri Truesdell will always find her way to a great photo! A year ago now, she “spent a month and a half recuperating from a three-week kidney stone ordeal resulting in surgery and a stent; and after two days of feeling normal, I fell while filling a bird feeder on my old brick patio and ended up with a sprained ankle, bruised ribs and a mild concussion.” Yikes. It was in April that she emailed us the update, “I am MUCH better — still a little sore and more than a little out of shape, but Extremely grateful to have not broken any bones. But I’ve been a little bummed out. And today you ‘helped my heart find its way back to happy!’”

With that last quote she was referring to the first supportive card you see featured below. Mauri had submitted the image months before, and read the message we proposed to go with it right when she needed it. “I love it!” she said, “and it’s my favorite photo of granddaughter Jade.”

Last fall, in her own lovely show of support and encouragement, Mauri emailed me this photo:

With it she wrote, “On a chilly walk yesterday morning, I saw these two empty swings and couldn’t help but think of you since Hannlis has moved to her son’s for the next phase of her life. May the emptiness you feel now soon be filled with loving memories of all the good times you had together. Thinking of you, knowing that love can travel long distances.” How caring and right she is. ❤️

Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative