Forget how hard it is to say, "I'm sorry." What about saying, "too bad you lost your job," or "bummer about your divorce?" No worries, Hallmark to the rescue! Their new line is called Journeys cards (the slogan is: "welcome to the new normal"), and it opens all sorts of new doors for daring card givers ... giving the commercial sympathy industry an even deeper foothold into our most awkward moments. Meghan Daum, the Los Angeles Times columnist, can't help but wonder: Are we all getting so lazy that we contract out our sympathy? And, she asks, what's next: National Bottoming Out Day? Hey, if Hallmark can do it, so can we! What would your Journeys card say?
Blog of the Nation
With regard to alchohol making one do that which they wouldn't ordinarily..."a drunken man speaks a sober man's mind..."
Sorry for the interruption, forgive me, I won't do that again...of course...only if I have offended anyone.
I used to write cards for Hallmark in 1998 when a friend of mine came out, but they didn't have "Journeys" cards at the time. On the outside it showed an open closet with just a single empty hanger. On the inside it said, "I hear you've moved!" It went over well with the person, but Hallmark didn't want it at the time.
Hi: Our former Senator Bob Ney has blamed alcoholism for his recent illegal activities when he traded legislation for money and trips. He is now asking to be sent to a particular prison that offers a better program to recover from his problem. Dawn in Ohio
The one apology which i accepted and regreted later is when my car got bumped and the person fell to his knees and apologised and later i had to pay $1500 to repair.
Dear Dad,
Ever since your hip replacement you've been leaning a bit more to the left than usual. That seems fitting now that you've finally come out as a democrat! Let me be the first to welcome to the left side.
Love, Robby
Card Suggestion (related to earlier caller's reference to passing gas in public):
Front: Farting is such sweet sorrow...
Inside: May you pass gas alone tomorrow.
A going away note for Scooter:
Sorry to hear of your recent conviction! Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.
Per haps a pardon is on your horizon; if not, I'll visit often.
I think it's important to remember that the sympathy card is to the living. I also think that attempts to soothe so often ring false in a situation like that, and that the message should really strive to be sympathetic or at least empathetic.
My neighbor had two beloved pets, a rabbit named Fluffy and a cat named Buddy, who adored one another. When Buddy died I couldn't think of anything nice to say; I hated that cat. So I wrote a sympathy card "to the rabbit":
Dear Fluffy: No one should ever have to lose their best friend.
I extended this succinct method to writing a sympathy card for the family of a friend who died from cancer. Having experienced this with my father I knew they wouldn't be interested in the usual platitudes: "He's in a better place, His pain is gone" etc. Instead:
No one should ever have to watch that happen to someone they love.
My Mother uses cards to express her emotions. It is one way that she lets us know she loves us, and I think part of the sentiment is knowing she spent time and thought to find the perfect saying. She has excellent communication skills as an English teacher and grant writer and my Mother.
From a business perspective, I think it's great that Hallmark is diversifying its offerings in hard copy, competeing with card makers that have been turning over in boutique inventory for decades, especially with card-making as in home business that can make personalized statements easier than bulk processing, and ecards competition. I think Hallmark is also making strides to keep up with growing trends in emotional intelligence.
While it's a little easier to type in the soulful greeting or quote for an ecard, holding the paper card has a different effect on some people, especially for the really rough times you can look back and have a sort of memoir of the support (me, I tend to be shallow and think about how I can recycle or reuse it after I am done reading it--please don't tell my Mother).
While I still have a very meaningful relationship with my Mother without the cards it is one of her ways of expressing her love for me, and is very touching to know that she spent time to find the perfect saying in the card.
I was very blessed to find the perfect card for her this Valentine's day. I gave it to her at youth group night at church and she still talks about it. The company did good, got my few dollars, repeat business, and most of all my Mother was touched!
Young men are virile,
old men more needy.
Sorry to hear you've
come down with E.D.
It has been a year since we got married. We have
laughed, we have cried, we have learned and we have
traveled through our new life together, and much to
your dismay, we are still happily married.
Oh, and we're keeping the presents.
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