“Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone.” — Gertrude Stein
When is the last time you received a hand-written thank you note in the mail? Chances are pretty good that you remember it because it is such a rare occurrence.
In fact, in 2010, the U.S. Postal service surveyed American households and found that on average, each household receives a hand-written note once every seven weeks. In 1987, it was once every two weeks. Imagine what it is today — an event so rare it sticks in our memories. Even thank you’s for wedding gifts are more and more rare.
As we inch every closer to the largest gift-giving day of the year, there are numerous opportunities to try our hand at hand-written notes. When was the last time your kids sent handwritten thank-you notes to grandma and grandpa? I know for mine it was ... um … I can’t actually remember. But I guarantee my mom does. And my 95-year-old grandmother has a policy of not sending any additional gifts if she is not thanked for the one she already sent.
In no way am I advocating over-loading your already-full plate. Thanks expressed in any form is better than thanks that remains unexpressed while you are searching for the perfect stationary or even five minutes of time. In fact, if you Google “handwritten thank you notes” you will find apps and services that will do it for you, including ones where you write directly on your iPad and it prints and mails a card for you.
However, if you can send a hand-written note of thanks, I encourage you to do it.
Here are some of the people I want to send thank you notes to, if only I could find their addresses.
• The voters in Alabama who refused to let a creepy, deeply flawed candidate take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Even more specifically, the black voters in Alabama who took action, showed up at the polls and said, “Not on my watch.” Thank you.
• Mitt Romney, who had the guts to tweet “Roy Moore in the U.S. Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.” Thank you for helping me believe there are still good people willing to stand up for truth in the GOP. Now please run for Senate.
• Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, for the same reason. Thank for saying and showing that principle comes before party. I look forward to you running for governor.
• Becky Lockhart, for being an example to women of all ages in Utah and beyond and specifically for mentoring me and believing in me. I hope she knows how grateful I am and how I wish I had told her before it was too late.
• The Silence Breakers. I am so grateful for the courage it took to be the first to speak up.
• The #MeToo-ers. I am also grateful for the millions who have stepped up and said #MeToo.
• Jake Sullivan, who wrote about his new #MeToo awareness, his mea culpa and his advice for making it better. Thank you for seeing it, Jake and even more, thank you for speaking about it publicly.
• Former LDS Bishop, Richard Ostler, for bravely speaking up about the awkward, uncomfortable and high-risk situation of having LDS bishops speak alone and in detail to boys and girls, men and women about their sexual behavior. If we are moved by the ubiquitous nature of the #MeToo movement and want to keep our kids safe, it’s time we examined other circumstances our kids could be at risk. So thank you, Richard, for saying something and starting a conversation that needs to be had.
• Al Gore, for inventing the Internet. I kid, I kid. But to the actual inventors of the Internet and all those who have made it better, I thank you for changing our world. Good on ya.
The trouble with lists, of course, is it is not possible to be inclusive. There are so many good people making a difference in the world. Consider this my thank you to you. I’d send you a card if I could.
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Holly Richardson is also grateful to many people whose address she does have. Watch your mailboxes.
