The Emotional Impact Of A Handwritten Thank You

The handwritten thank you note: why is it so special?

As humans, we treasure the handwritten thank you notes we’ve received from special people in our lives. We remember the person, the time, the place, the reason why the note was written. We recognize the handwriting, and appreciate its personal beauty along with its impactful words. More than likely, we keep these notes in a special place, and we read them over and over. These mementos are kept close to our hearts.

A handwritten thank you note is special because it:

• Connects people and keeps them in touch with each other
• Keeps the lines of communication open
• Extends a (new or old) personal or professional relationship
• Lives forever with the recipient
• Imparts the beauty of graciousness and gratitude
• Is a wonderful gift of words to receive

It creates a feeling of warmth between people; it shows someone you noticed and that you care. It can be artful – in its words, stationary, or just in its handwriting. It may professionally differentiate you by setting the tone of graciousness and courtesy upfront. A handwritten thank you note makes an impact on the person to whom you’re writing.

It’s not the instant communication that’s so much a part of today’s world. It doesn’t disappear. It can’t be cut, pasted, or passed along in ways not intended. A handwritten thank you is not meant for the public to see, nor is it meant for others to form opinions on, or start a group chat about.

The handwritten thank you note shows how much you love, care and appreciate that special person for that wonderful thing s/he did to make you feel special. It not only survives forever in its original form, it survives forever in our hearts and memories. We don’t have to share it; we keep it for ourselves. And more importantly we’ll always have the beautiful, thoughtful words that are meant just for us.