thoughtful thursday

this time of year, beginning soon after thanksgiving, brings wonderful holiday greetings in the mailbox.  these cards are greatly anticipated as, each day, one wonders "who" might appear in the daily mail.  every card is special and wonderful because each is a tangible expression that someone is thinking of you.  among all these greetings there are those that are particularly extraordinary.  not extraordinary in an extravagant sense but for the thoughts, feelings or memories that are provoked.  one such card arrived in yesterday's mail.  my sister, who is an expert papercrafter, created a christmas card just for me (and our brother no doubt).  the card features a photograph of all of us sitting on the hearth by the fire one christmas when we were children.  the sentiment, "i smile because you are my sister.  i laugh because there is nothing you can do about it!"  made me both smile and laugh, nodding that, yes, indeed, that is absolutely, without a doubt, true!  this card will remain a treasure and it caused me to hope that the old-fashioned tradition of sending holiday greetings through the mail will never cease.