Give A Get Well Card. It's The Medicine The Doctor Ordered

Receiving a thoughtfully written get well card when you're
unwell is especially welcome. Everyone likes to be
remembered by others and getting a card during a period of
sickness can serve as emotional medicine. Pills and
potions may cure the body, but thoughts and actions feed
the mind.

It's all too easy for our spirits, in mind and body, to
become low when we aren't feeling at our best. We may let
ourselves become dejected when we're out of sorts. Getting
a card serves to remind us that whilst we may be
temporarily out of action, others are thinking of us, and
wishing us well.

The power of collective well wishes can do much to make us
feel tons better. It's accepted that when many send the
same positive message - through a thought - or written in a
tangible card, it has a positive effect on the recipient.
To be the receiver of such good wishes can only mend us all
the quicker.

The benefits of a get well card at these times are
two-fold. We may be out of the social loop for a while and
missing our friends. Routine social activities may have to
be on hold, or readjusted when we're not up to mixing. So
a card reminds us that we haven't opted out of action for
good - it's just temporary, and those who care for us are
hoping we'll soon be up and running again.

Seeing, hearing and reading these hopes helps to confirm
our place in society. It affirms our role in individual
groups and reminds us of our connections. While thoughts
themselves are beneficial, receiving a traditional paper
card is even more valuable in such times. We have the
advantage of seeing them displayed. It's a visual reminder
of the goodwill that has flowed our way.

There's also the physical bonus of being able to pick them
up and re-read them whenever we need a 'lift'. It's like a
medicine pill that can be self-administered. Being
surrounded by get well cards gives us a continual reminder
and drip-feed of others' good thoughts towards us. They
all add to our sense of well being.

Doctors know that the mind is very powerful in the stages
of recovery. Believing in our power to help to heal
ourselves - and seeing ourselves quickly well again will
speed us back into good health. Those who care about us can
play a large part in helping us to stay on track, feeling
loved and connected.

Often when we're sick we feel displaced and separate as we
can't carry on our normal routine activities. We miss
doing things at certain times. We can lose touch with
people and this can make us feel isolated or
claustrophobic. So a carefully written and given card can
do so much more than say 'hope you're soon back to health'.
It really is like intro-venous emotional medicine, feeding
our need to belong and to feel loved.

Many of us don't like any contact when we're feeling under
the weather, whilst others, depending on their illness are
able to interact in some way. Cards remind us that we are
part of a group of caring individuals who think of us in
our absence, and in our recovery process. The more cards
we receive, the greater the sense of well being. And we
know how good our own positive thoughts can be in our
personal mending process. Good wishes via thoughts, cards
and actions = positive self-medicine = quicker recovery.

Doctors may prescribe Western Medicine, but we should all
be brought up to appreciate the power of card giving.

The traditional 'visiting of the sick' was considered an
essential part of the Victorian ladies' etiquette. They
brought gifts of food - as is well known. But perhaps more
importantly they brought communication, connection and
reminders of the 'sick' person's place in their community.
Such visiting was considered expected and it was also well
received. We too, in our receiving of well wishes should
be equally accepting. We should be thankful, rather than
grateful, for the thoughts that prompted the action. How
we open, read, display and absorb these sentiments are
equally important to our getting well process.

These days cards are an all-too-easy thing to send. We may
think they are trivial and perhaps of little significance.
But spare a thought for someone you know who is sick and
how your card giving could be just the pill they need at
this moment. Spare a thought - and act on it, because the
Get Well Card really does deserve the label of emotional
medicine.

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Geraldine Jozefiak has written extensively about choosing,
writing and sending Get Well Cards. Greeting Card Guide
gives you the latest news, trends and products to make your
greeting card selection as quick, fun and painless as
possible.
http://greetingcardguide.com