We all get an endorphin rush from seeing new notifications for messages, be it on social media or via email.
But nothing matches the elation and curiosity you feel when you find a hidden piece of paper with a handwritten note from someone.
My stepmother was great for this. She would tuck little notes into random places, into a coat pocket, into a suitcase or lunch bag. Sometimes she would write out a full letter that would offer deep reflection on how she felt about something you did. Other times she would write a list of accolades she felt you needed to hear. Sometimes it was only one sentence, a quote, or one word of encouragement.
In our ultra-busy lives, it’s difficult to stop for a moment and commit time to writing something. But I think secret notes have an undeniable power in making someone feel special. The note is representative of the fact that you took the time to reflect about someone, and you wanted them to unexpectedly receive that message of love and encouragement perhaps at a time when it was needed most.
There’s a real art in writing secret notes to the people you love. There’s also a real power in writing notes to people who don’t know. My stepmother also used to write random notes of love and encouragement and hide them in public places for people to find. We would never know the effect it would have on whoever found it, but I know the way it made me feel when I found one of her notes. It made me feel curious and excited. Like I was part of something magical. It made me feel cared for.
That’s a lot of positive effect for something that doesn’t take too much effort. “Effort” isn’t the right word for what is needed to write a secret note to someone, whether you know them or not. I think the right word is “care”. You have to care for people enough to write them notes of love and encouragement.
Try writing one today. Hide a note for someone you care about somewhere where they’re sure to find it. It’s magical. I remember the magic of finding my stepmother’s notes to this day, and I always will. Now I’m writing about them to you.
A little care can go a long way.
