What is the Most Beautiful and Uplifting Thing You Can Say to Someone?

My first day at high school my senior year, I came across a boy that I thought was stunning. He sat behind me in photography class. I completely failed in playing it coy, because I repeatedly looked over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of him. To my surprise, his eyes kept meeting mine with every turn. Even though he was an international transfer student, surprisingly, we had a friend in common and we had our introduction.

The next day, he approached me and handed me a paper. He had, with great detail and with care, drawn my name in graffiti style lettering and finished it off with the caption, “to the girl with the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen”.
Enter school girl blush and smile from ear to ear. Playing it cool went out the window with a jet pack attached to it.
My smile had a mind of it’s own. It didn’t release for hours.

I still have his drawing to this day.

He took time out of his day (a lot of time) to give me something personal, detailed, and to show me that he cared. Even though he is not in my life anymore, when I come across that drawing, I smile from ear to ear. It’s a masterpiece he created for little ol’ me.

I know many people who keep hand-made momentos of affection from past lovers, friends, and family. Some feel like saps, but their mood is instantly uplifted and a bounce is added to their step, if not their day, when they can reminisce about a moment in time.
Before texting, e-cards, social media, and bouquets of chocolate covered fruit, many used their two hands and their imagination to show the people in their lives they cared.

When is the last time you’ve received a handwritten letter? Do you remember the excitement before opening it? Biting your lip and finding a comfortable spot as you unfold the trifold to read?

THE PROJECT: What is the Most Uplifting, Beautiful Thing You Can Say to Someone?

TOOLS: Pen, paper and envelopes

STEP 1: Take a small envelope. Label it ‘Open When’…[add teaser here. See example teasers below]

STEP 2: Take a piece of paper and write them something special/personal, about themselves, about your relationship, about anything that will put a smile on their face to let them know that
“I care. Deeply”.

STEP 3: Place the letter inside the envelope and seal.

HINT: You can write a letter, it can be a quick statement, a picture/photograph, a game/mystery to be solved, etc. The options vary for each individual.

Alright, I know you’re wondering what “teasers” to put on the outside of the envelopes, like in the image above, so here are a few off the top of my head.

Open When….

• You feel like you’re going through it alone
• You need to know how much you matter
• You need to know how much you matter to me
• You need a hearty laugh
• It’s raining on your window pane
• You need courage
• You feel like giving up
• You need a “cherry on top” of your already amazing day
• You need a promise honored
• You need an adventure
• You start to doubt yourself
• You don’t feel like getting out of bed
• You’re thinking of me. When you’re thinking of us.
• You think I’m not paying attention.

And of course, feel free to add on to this list. These are samples to get your mind revving.
Someone even told me they added a drop of fragrance to their envelopes as well. Nice touch.

STEP 4: Arrange the letters so that they are a “bouquet” to this person. However, you would like to present them. In a shoebox. With a ribbon wrapped around all the letters.
And my favorite, placing the letter in a placeholder and then sticking it in styrofoam. Arranged properly, you will have created an actual bouquet of love letters.

They will never be able to look at an envelope the same again whether you are in their life or not.
This is an act of love that is focused on your partner and the little things, their small idiosyncrasies, that make them extraordinary in your eyes.

Let’s wrap it up with this quote:

Do not fall in love with people like me. We will take you to museums and parks and monuments and kiss you in every beautiful place so that you can never go back to them without tasting us like blood in your mouth. -Caitlyn Siehl

Be that person.