July 21, 2023 — If you’re one of the 27 million Americans who chooses lap swimming as your preferred form of fitness, you know the delight this card conveys. And maybe you know people who will happily while away this weekend parked beside one of the country’s 10 million backyard pools, watching little mer-people play.
This card fits so many people to a tee, all those swimmers who love to tell others how amaaazing they feel in the water and, as this article elaborates, the lifelong health benefits swimming brings. Today I’d like to share the story behind how the card message came to be.
Several years ago, I was having my morning swim in the sea here on Miami Beach when I spotted a new acquaintance named Pamela doing the same. (A semi-retired English actress, Pam seemed like a younger, thinner, prettier Judi Dench to me. Back in the ‘80s, she played opposite Sean Connery as Miss Moneypenny to his James Bond in Never Say Never Again.)
Pam lived several blocks away, so we laughed at the synchronicity of us both choosing to dive into the exact same little stretch of water at the exact same moment in time. We bobbed awhile, going on and happily on about how blessed we felt to have this as our “backyard pool,” until I heard Pamela declare, in a spot-on Dame Judith, “Well, I must get home and get busy! I have calls to make and emails to answer before our contractor arrives this afternoon to start in on our house project again. What a mess we have …” and then she caught herself. “Oh, my, just listen to me! Have I not moved to this little piece of paradise to enjoy precisely this sort of freedom and joy unrestrained?!”
Then, buoyant and beautiful, in the blue sea up to her knees, Pam threw herself backwards in the water like an aquatic snow-angel. Again. And again. And again! She was giggling the whole while like the charming 70-something kid she was. So much fun to see.
It was that happy, light-hearted, very free feeling that I wanted to capture with the new Swimming design … as a fun card for all the water-babies you may know, and to celebrate the essence of Pamela as Parkinson’s is making it increasingly challenging for my now-dear friend to walk those few blocks to the ocean these days.
You can read more about what makes this Contributing Cardie so inspiring here in an ode to Pamela we ran back in February, for she is truly the most hopeful and positive person ever. I mentioned to her last week that I’d like to write about why a Swimming card is dedicated to her, then asked if she could tell us how she keeps her spirits afloat.
“This journey is a bit frightening,” she conceded. “There are days when I wonder how I manage to still be upright.” Her faith is extremely important to her, and she said, “Each day, I reach out and take the hand of God to lead the way.”
She recently ordered a dozen of 94146/snail, frog, turtle stack card explaining that, “Especially for people who need the help and yet have no one to really look out for them, it must be terribly difficult. In addition to still receiving very sweet fan mail, I receive cards and notes from dear friends around the world. There’s just something so lovely about getting a card these days, isn’t there?” Pamela said, “because you feel how the person has taken the time and gone to the trouble to write more than a text or an email. Very touching.
“We have to appreciate every card, every phone call, every friend who pops by as they all contribute to the sense that we are loved.” I teased that she must feel very loved indeed as I refer to her house as Grand Central Pamela!
And when the going really gets tough? “I turn it over to God,” she said. “It’s the only way I could manage. I say, ‘Here, God, I’ll let you work this one out!’ and that He does.”
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
July 21, 2023 — If you’re one of the 27 million Americans who chooses lap swimming as your preferred form of fitness, you know the delight this card conveys. And maybe you know people who will happily while away this weekend parked beside one of the country’s 10 million backyard pools, watching little mer-people play.
This card fits so many people to a tee, all those swimmers who love to tell others how amaaazing they feel in the water and, as this article elaborates, the lifelong health benefits swimming brings. Today I’d like to share the story behind how the card message came to be.
Several years ago, I was having my morning swim in the sea here on Miami Beach when I spotted a new acquaintance named Pamela doing the same. (A semi-retired English actress, Pam seemed like a younger, thinner, prettier Judi Dench to me. Back in the ‘80s, she played opposite Sean Connery as Miss Moneypenny to his James Bond in Never Say Never Again.)
Pam lived several blocks away, so we laughed at the synchronicity of us both choosing to dive into the exact same little stretch of water at the exact same moment in time. We bobbed awhile, going on and happily on about how blessed we felt to have this as our “backyard pool,” until I heard Pamela declare, in a spot-on Dame Judith, “Well, I must get home and get busy! I have calls to make and emails to answer before our contractor arrives this afternoon to start in on our house project again. What a mess we have …” and then she caught herself. “Oh, my, just listen to me! Have I not moved to this little piece of paradise to enjoy precisely this sort of freedom and joy unrestrained?!”
Then, buoyant and beautiful, in the blue sea up to her knees, Pam threw herself backwards in the water like an aquatic snow-angel. Again. And again. And again! She was giggling the whole while like the charming 70-something kid she was. So much fun to see.
It was that happy, light-hearted, very free feeling that I wanted to capture with the new Swimming design … as a fun card for all the water-babies you may know, and to celebrate the essence of Pamela as Parkinson’s is making it increasingly challenging for my now-dear friend to walk those few blocks to the ocean these days.
You can read more about what makes this Contributing Cardie so inspiring here in an ode to Pamela we ran back in February, for she is truly the most hopeful and positive person ever. I mentioned to her last week that I’d like to write about why a Swimming card is dedicated to her, then asked if she could tell us how she keeps her spirits afloat.
“This journey is a bit frightening,” she conceded. “There are days when I wonder how I manage to still be upright.” Her faith is extremely important to her, and she said, “Each day, I reach out and take the hand of God to lead the way.”
She recently ordered a dozen of 94146/snail, frog, turtle stack card explaining that, “Especially for people who need the help and yet have no one to really look out for them, it must be terribly difficult. In addition to still receiving very sweet fan mail, I receive cards and notes from dear friends around the world. There’s just something so lovely about getting a card these days, isn’t there?” Pamela said, “because you feel how the person has taken the time and gone to the trouble to write more than a text or an email. Very touching.
“We have to appreciate every card, every phone call, every friend who pops by as they all contribute to the sense that we are loved.” I teased that she must feel very loved indeed as I refer to her house as Grand Central Pamela!
And when the going really gets tough? “I turn it over to God,” she said. “It’s the only way I could manage. I say, ‘Here, God, I’ll let you work this one out!’ and that He does.”
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Please express my appreciation to beautiful Pamela for her beautiful spirit. I am so blessed to receive the Cardie Newsletters and have the opportunity to begin today with so much positivity.
I love today’s CNews. I admire Pamela’s spirit, and the heat lately make me think I may want to throw myself “backwards in the water like an aquatic snow-angel. Again. And again. And again!” even though I am not a water person :)
I love this Pamela story! Lots of prayers coming her way!
She is an inspiration for all of us!
What an inspiration Pamela is. Her statement to “take the hand of God to lead the way” really touched me. The water is renewing, here’s hoping she can get more laps or just floats in to restore her soul.
My goodness, Jodee! This recent blogpost about your beautiful friend, Pam, brought tears to my eyes! I don’t know how I missed the email about her that was posted in February, but I’m glad that I saw this one! The word, warrior, comes to mind, regarding Pam, because of her unbelieveable attitude as she faces such daunting health issues! I can honestly say that that would not be me, if I was in her situation, so I admire her beyond any words that I could ever express! Yes! She does look like a younger Judi Dench, one of my favorite actresses of all time! How lucky you are to have made her acquaintance and are now best of friends! Please tell her that I am praying for her and tell her what an inspiration she is to me, a complete stranger, who has been touched by her story, both personally and professionally. I am a grief educator and she speaks to my spirit. Thank you for introducing your amazing friend to all of us here, in the heartwarming way that you did!
You are the BEST…thanks for all you do to lift spirits in this dark world….
Ah joy! Ah bliss! I hope Pamela is able to swim for as long as possible. It does lovely things for the soul as well as the body. Thanks for this right on new card (which I have forwarded to my swimming buds)–and for all the others you continue to do to express exactly the right emotions! With love and admiration, D.