The “Whenever Uncle”.

Guilt is a huge driver.  We’ve been told by our parents we need to write ‘thank you’ notes.

Stationery stores made a living by enticing people to send greetings year-round.

For birthdays.

Christmas.

Easter.

Graduation.

We may buy the card — and they’re not cheap — but not do anything more.

Or skip the date altogether because we can’t get the traction.

How do you feel when you know you SHOULD send something out,  you have the best intentions, but

for whatever reasons, you DON’T GET IT DONE?

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Don’t beat yourself up.

I talked to a man today who said he feels like a ‘guilty Uncle’ — because he remembers how

when he’d see his Aunts and Uncles, they always slipped him a $20 or a $100 — and it

made his birthdays & holidays special.

He said he feels bad because he always wanted to do the same when HE became an Uncle.

But he hasn’t.

He was down on himself because as he admitted, he thinks about his nieces & nephew

all the time — but doesn’t follow through.

I suggested ‘Why not re-brand yourself?  Be the “Whenever Uncle”.  Maybe you’re

not the guy who’s tied to the calendar year.  Wouldn’t it be cool if your nieces or

nephews opened a card from you — and found a $20 bill tucked inside?  It doesn’t

have to be before their birthday — it can be ‘whenever’.”

I think that would be way more exciting than on-time, anyway.

He seemed to like the idea.

My theory is, whenever is better than not at all.

Wouldn’t you like to get an envelope with a ‘thinking of you’ when you’re

least expecting it?