Our Pugs and Kisses ecards – a quick way to reach out to a good friend.

Sure, sure…we all know a good friend listens to you and helps you out when you really need it. A good friend makes you smile and supplies you with love and understanding. But let’s skip off the beaten path for a moment.

Here are some aspects of a good friend that aren’t normally listed:

1. Good friends drive you to and from the airport. Listen, no one likes doing it, but a good friend bites the bullet and picks your butt up when no one else will.
2. Good friends help you move. Same as above; no one likes it, but when you need brute strength during that moving day, a good (and preferably strong) friend shows up.
3. Good friends call bullshit to that. Good friends aren’t always pleasant. If they see you repeatedly making the same error (such as dating that jerk again), they’ll call you on it. Sometimes loudly.
4. Good friends are there when you barf. They don’t run away in horror; they pull your hair back and tell you there, there, get it all out. They also will buy chicken soup and ginger ale afterward if they’re extra good friends.
5. Good friends aren’t always good friends. What? That makes no sense, you say. I had a good friend explain it to me years ago when just about everyone forgot my birthday. Vicki said, “I do my best, Beth. But sometimes I mess up. If my general track record is good, I hope you can overlook my mistakes sometimes because you know I love you.”

Want to make a friend feel extra special? Send them one of our Sweetest Day ecards. It’s just a simple way to show you care and add some sweetness to a pal in your life.

“Days decrease and Autumn grows, Autumn in everything.”  ― Robert Browning

It’s that time of the year when the leaves brighten and fall earthward, the air turns crisp, and kids trudge back to school in their new duds. And while it’s not New Year’s, there’s an aspect of Fall that feels ripe with renewal.

Back in the day, people ritualized the changing of the seasons. Now, we all seem too busy, too disconnected. But hope is not lost; you can create your own modern-day rituals to mark this rich season.

Harvest something. Autumn has marked harvest season for eons. So what if you don’t have a farm or even a garden? What about jarring some jelly or making a heaping pot of stew? Why not visit a local farm and feel that glorious sensation of plenty? Buy some local produce and create a dinner for friends, where the food abounds and wine pours. (Don’t forget to light a candle and take a moment before the meal to give thanks in whatever way you see fit.)

Dig in the dirt; connect to the land. There’s a reason children feel the need to jump in a leaf pile; it’s a form of connecting up-close to the seasonal changes (and is just plain fun, of course). Connect with the earth during this transitional phase. Clean up the yard, rake the leaves (but please don’t use those annoying leaf blowers…how annoying are those things?), go for a long walk in the woods. Look up to the sky and be thankful for being lucky enough to experience another season on this planet we call Earth.

Go back to school. School never ends…never! What can you learn this season? Autumn marks a time of reflection where your mind opens up and expands with ideas. Take a local class or workshop. Grab a book from the library. Write, reflect. Feed your brain.

Make right with the world. Fall is a time of reflection and clearing. If there are amends that need to be made with a loved one, reach out. Simply the act of trying often shifts a long-held grudge. Clean the slate this Fall. (If it feels too hard to break the ice, write a letter and burn it, letting go of any bad feelings that still may still get in your way.)

Get cozy and comfortable. Nothing says Fall more than that soft, grey sweater or those trusty old boots that fit just right. And don’t forget to add some color to match with the season’s rich shades. (Burgundy is all the rage this season, FYI.) Embrace the colder temperatures with clothes that make you feel lovingly prepared for it.

So yes, our world seems to be moving too fast to stop and mark the seasons properly. But that doesn’t mean you can’t adapt and create rituals that help you celebrate in your own way. Encourage others to do so by sending them our bright, colorful Autumn ecards.

Our Autumn Friendship eCard – because friends keep us warm inside.