Jan. 15, 2021 — Every once in a while within Cardthartic, one of us will say how we wish you all could sit in our chairs for a day, just to restore your faith in humanity. From here, you’d get to see the big, beautiful field of Cardie hearts out there shining on so many.
Just this week, Candy Smith sent us an email so endearing that we asked to share it here. “Dear Fairy Cardmother,” the longtime Cardie began. “We need you now with your musings over what has been going on in our country!
“The photos, videos and interviews are played over and over everywhere. It’s disturbing and scary to think what may happen over the next week or so. My husband and I worry about the continued division between Democrats and Republicans. Will they ever be able to take politics out of their decisions and start compromising again? Then there’s the pandemic! Please share your wisdom to help us through these times.”
Wowed by Candy’s willingness to honor her emotions and express what so many of us are feeling — and sharing her wish that some lovely, mythical creature would swoop in, wave a wand and all the turmoil would be gone — I replied, “Oh, Candy, your Fairy Cardmother, my Cardthartic colleagues and I all share your concerns … it’s too much and we’re right there with you in not knowing what to make of this and where we all go from here.
“The good news is that you showed us one way forward right here,” I said. “You honored your emotions. You had your own little cardthartic experience in order to lay it all out there, and then share what felt right and true. And your doing that reminded us to stop and do the same, Candy. Thank you!”
It happens to a lot of us who have hearts that shine on so many … those hearts go out to the thousands of patients in ICU and to the families and healthcare providers of the 400,000 already lost. Our hearts go out to the millions waiting in unemployment and food lines; to the National Guard troops sleeping on the Capitol floor, and, oh my gosh, don’t our hearts go out every time we hear the sad song heralding the start of ASPCA commercials!
So how do we guard our hearts? Years ago, a wonderfully woo-woo masseuse gave me a powerful exercise that I’d like to share with you. Let me preface by saying, she first pointed out how challenging it was for me to relax on her table. “Your body may be here,” she said, “but where is your heart, mind and spirit?” I laughed it off saying, “Yea, well, I guess I’m worrying about this and wondering about that and fearing what’s going to happen with another thing.”
“If you’re off somewhere worrying about all that,” she kindly asked, “who’s here taking care of you?” Hmm. “And if you don’t take care of you, how do you propose to take care of all that seems to mean so much to you?” There is that.
“Try this,” she proposed, and wrote the following down so I can still read her crisp handwriting and feel her calming energy to this day. She said:
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your belly, breathing way down into your core.
While continuing the deep breathing, bring your hands to your heart. Keep your hands right there, and say quietly:
“I remember.”
(Take a deep breath.)
“I remember.”
(Another deep breath.)
“Now I remember me.”
She said to repeat the three phrases — and deep breaths in between — three times. “I remember, I remember, now I remember me.” And then notice how you’ve calmed and come home to yourself by this simple act of reclaiming your heart.
“Sometimes you just care too much,” a friend once chided me. That was right before he said, “Please don’t ever stop.” Thanks, Candy, and every caring Cardie in our community, for knowing the feeling.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Jan. 15, 2021 — Every once in a while within Cardthartic, one of us will say how we wish you all could sit in our chairs for a day, just to restore your faith in humanity. From here, you’d get to see the big, beautiful field of Cardie hearts out there shining on so many.
Just this week, Candy Smith sent us an email so endearing that we asked to share it here. “Dear Fairy Cardmother,” the longtime Cardie began. “We need you now with your musings over what has been going on in our country!
“The photos, videos and interviews are played over and over everywhere. It’s disturbing and scary to think what may happen over the next week or so. My husband and I worry about the continued division between Democrats and Republicans. Will they ever be able to take politics out of their decisions and start compromising again? Then there’s the pandemic! Please share your wisdom to help us through these times.”
Wowed by Candy’s willingness to honor her emotions and express what so many of us are feeling — and sharing her wish that some lovely, mythical creature would swoop in, wave a wand and all the turmoil would be gone — I replied, “Oh, Candy, your Fairy Cardmother, my Cardthartic colleagues and I all share your concerns … it’s too much and we’re right there with you in not knowing what to make of this and where we all go from here.
“The good news is that you showed us one way forward right here,” I said. “You honored your emotions. You had your own little cardthartic experience in order to lay it all out there, and then share what felt right and true. And your doing that reminded us to stop and do the same, Candy. Thank you!”
It happens to a lot of us who have hearts that shine on so many … those hearts go out to the thousands of patients in ICU and to the families and healthcare providers of the 400,000 already lost. Our hearts go out to the millions waiting in unemployment and food lines; to the National Guard troops sleeping on the Capitol floor, and, oh my gosh, don’t our hearts go out every time we hear the sad song heralding the start of ASPCA commercials!
So how do we guard our hearts? Years ago, a wonderfully woo-woo masseuse gave me a powerful exercise that I’d like to share with you. Let me preface by saying, she first pointed out how challenging it was for me to relax on her table. “Your body may be here,” she said, “but where is your heart, mind and spirit?” I laughed it off saying, “Yea, well, I guess I’m worrying about this and wondering about that and fearing what’s going to happen with another thing.”
“If you’re off somewhere worrying about all that,” she kindly asked, “who’s here taking care of you?” Hmm. “And if you don’t take care of you, how do you propose to take care of all that seems to mean so much to you?” There is that.
“Try this,” she proposed, and wrote the following down so I can still read her crisp handwriting and feel her calming energy to this day. She said:
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your belly, breathing way down into your core.
While continuing the deep breathing, bring your hands to your heart. Keep your hands right there, and say quietly:
“I remember.”
(Take a deep breath.)
“I remember.”
(Another deep breath.)
“Now I remember me.”
She said to repeat the three phrases — and deep breaths in between — three times. “I remember, I remember, now I remember me.” And then notice how you’ve calmed and come home to yourself by this simple act of reclaiming your heart.
“Sometimes you just care too much,” a friend once chided me. That was right before he said, “Please don’t ever stop.” Thanks, Candy, and every caring Cardie in our community, for knowing the feeling.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Earlier this week I received your nice catalog of cards that are very well done and better than most of what I see in the stores. I feel bad that as a conservative I have reservations about buying from a company who chooses to take a political stance contrary to mine. Not that we cannot have differences of opinions but to openly criticize someone with differnt viewpoints does not seem like a good business practice to me. I help a business who must serve everyone regardless of political beliefs, religious preference etc. and it is imperative that their beliefs and opinions be respected.
Remember in the fall your packages of thank the helpers cards? I ordered a lot & I’m glad I did as I’m writing out the ones I have left on Monday in a campaign to honor health workers as a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. day. It’s because of your compassion as a company that a lot of warm fuzzies get sent all over. Your caring philosophy does make a difference.
I like your calming suggestion. Often to not be overwhelmed by things going on I say the Serenity Prayer. I learned the Serenity Prayer by supporting a relative’s recovery efforts by attending AA meetings with him. It is simple and powerful: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”. I have used your Please Listen cards to “change the things I can” by encouraging voters to turn out and vote in recent elections. We can’t solve all the problems in the world, however we can do whatever it is we each can do. Little by little our efforts accumulate and we make a big difference. Stay well. Stay forever hopeful.
Your masseuse’s powerful exercise is like the cherry on top of your sundae…& it does work! Thank you, Jodee!