Postcard from Santa

First of all, thank you, Gina and Juliet, for featuring one of my pictures on City Muse Country Muse.

Yesterday’s mail included a postcard that read “That thing you are writing is awesome!” The return address was SANTA, handwritten in block letters. For a second, I thought one of my writing friends had sent some much-needed encouragement. Then I realized the postcard was an advertisement from a tutoring service in Ann Arbor. 

The experience made me realize two things. 

1. Everybody needs a boost. People (myself included) don’t acknowledge friends’ talents and accomplishments often enough.
2. Faint praise and vague criticism are not helpful. People (myself included) should be as specific as possible in both praise and writing critiques.