The postcard that’s being sent to YOU * author’s collection
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When was the last time you received a postcard?
‘What is a postcard?’ I hear some of you say, so first, here’s a little historical info:
Postcards were (and still are in tourist spots, especially British seaside towns!) a simple way of sending a happy message to your friends and family. They always have a picture on one side … usually of some local feature like the beach and the sea, or maybe a fun-joke-cartoon … or a ‘naughty one!’ They are simple to send in that the reverse side has a half-panel for your message and the other half for the name and address of your chosen recipient:
You’ll also notice that there’s a space for a postage stamp (top-right).
You’ll sometimes see them in display stands at newsagents and gift shops, especially in a holiday resort or tourist centre.
Purchasing a postcard (as a memento) is still quite common, but sending one in the post isn’t so common now-a-days. The older generation used to buy and post them off, but the snail mail of today (and the cost of a postage stamp) has more or less put an end to the actual sending (by postal service).
The main picture in today’s story … the top-of-story postcard pic … is the postcard that’s addressed to you … I’m sending it to you today.
I live in Australia, and thanks to an initiative by Australia Post (the national postal service of Australia), who recently sent out free-postage postcards to Aussie households, I’ve been able to craft this message to you … even if I’ve never met you before. How cool is that! And cooler still … I’m sending it via this, my ‘Medium’ article.
If I do know you (and you know me), then you might sense (and know) that the message is well-meant, and that I do mean it when I say: “Someone cares for you”, and that “You are loved”, because I do mean it … I do.
But if say, you’ve known me in the past, and think that maybe I’ve forgotten you and that I no-longer think of you in a positive way … well, you’d be wrong. (A leopard can, sometimes does, change it’s spots!)
Even if you are suspicious or doubtful that anyone can possibly love you, then I just want to say: “You are wrong” … “Someone does care for you”.
Here’s the reverse side of the postcard that I’m sending to you:
And if you feel so alone and un-loved, I have two suggestions:
1. Send me an email telling me how you’re thinking … and let’s start a new conversation.
Here’s a link to my Email address .([email protected])
(its my preferred method of communication … snail mail is too sl…ow!)
2. Reach out to your community help-line or community organization.
In Australia (where I live) there’s one particular organization that reaches out to people who feel low, alone, or pressured in any way … Beyond Blue, is an organization that provides information and support to help people achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
And there are other organizations ready to help too … wherever you live:
- For more AUSTRALIAN organizations, and for UK, USA, and WHO initiatives, see reference links at end of this story.
Now, before I end this article, take a look at the message-side of your postcard. At the the very bottom of your postcard’s message, a small note says that Australia Post has developed a partnership with ‘Beyond Blue’ in order to encourage us to connect, because: “When We Connect, We Feel Better”.
***** “When We Connect, We Feel Better” *****
I do hope that my postcard helps you (if you need help), to connect, and if you don’t particularly need help right now, here’s my final message for today (to you and to everyone else):
Look again at the message-side of my postcard to you, and you’ll see another small message at TOP-LEFT … Here it is:
The extra message (top-left) says: “Why not send a postcard like this one to someone you know, or even don’t know?”
Maybe not a snail-mail postcard, but perhaps an email message. Who knows what that might do to lift the spirits of that ‘someone’.
“ Why not send a message like the one YOU received today to someone you know, or even someone you don’t know? It might just lift the spirits of ‘that someone’ ”
I hope that your spirits have been lifted today … Much love … Fred:
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Reference Links:
UK Mental Health Charities … A dozen or so organisations.
USA mental Health Charities … The leading organisations.
AUSTRALIAN mental health organisations … Ten organisations
World Health Organization’s Special Initiative for Mental Health … in 2018, the WHO identified mental health as an area for which action should be accelerated. The WHO Special Initiative for the Mental Health covers the 5-year period 2019–2023. Its goal is that 100 million more people have access to quality and affordable mental health care by 2023. The Initiative is to be implemented in 12 countries.
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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
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You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:
Escape the Act Like a Man Box | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men | Why I Don’t Want to Talk About Race | The First Myth of the Patriarchy: The Acorn on the Pillow |
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Photo credit: Images courtesy of author. Used with permission.