You're the one who saves cards in a box under your bed. You understand that the right words at the right moment can be a lifeline, a celebration, a bridge between hearts. You probably already love finding the perfect words. The Flyways Method isn't about helping you feel comfortable in this process.... It's about helping you tap into sentiments which are unique and meaningful for this specific moment.
So, what are you waiting for? Settle down with your crisp new card, the Planner and your favourite pen. Let's go through the steps together.
Step 1: See the Person
Take time to truly think about them:
- Who are they?
- I am writing because...
Sit quietly and bring them clearly to mind. This isn't about who they are generally, but who they are in this season of their life.
- What challenges are they navigating right now?
- What joys are lighting up their days?
- How has your relationship with them shifted or deepened recently?
- What might they need that they wouldn't ask for directly?
Write down what you notice without judgment. This is the soil from which your message will grow.
Example notes: My brother is turning 40. He's been questioning his career path lately, wondering if he's made the right choices. There's a melancholy beneath his usual humor. Our conversations have gotten deeper this year. Less about sports, more about meaning.
Step 2: Check Your Heart
Listen for the truth you carry:
- What do I want them to know?
-
What do I want them to feel?
Now turn inward. Beyond platitudes and expectations, what lives in your heart for this person? Don't rush this part—the most meaningful messages often come from quieter truths.
- What have you never told them that perhaps you should?
- What do you admire that they might not see in themselves?
- What shared memory keeps returning to you?
- What truth do you know about them that they might have forgotten?
Let yourself write freely here. You can refine later.
Example notes: I've always been struck by his ability to connect with people, how he remembers details about everyone's lives. He thinks success is about job titles, but his real gift is making people feel seen. That time last year when he helped my neighbor move furniture without being asked... that's who he is at his core. I wish he could see how meaningful those "small" choices are.
Step 3: Filter for Helpfulness
Will this truth serve them now?
This is where discernment comes in. Not every truth needs to be spoken in every moment. Ask yourself:
- Is this message aligned with what they need in this chapter of life?
- Will these words strengthen or burden them?
- Is this card the right container for this particular truth?
- How might they receive these words, given where they are right now?
Be honest with yourself. Sometimes the most caring choice is to hold a truth for another day.
Example notes: Yes, he needs to be reminded of his impact outside of work achievements, especially as he's questioning his path. This birthday is a perfect time to reflect these deeper truths back to him.
Step 4 (Optional): Weave in the Visual Story
Let the art deepen your message
Now that your words have taken shape, spend a moment with the card's artwork. Great card design isn't just decoration—it's part of the message.
- What emotions does the illustration evoke?
- What narrative or symbolism lives in the imagery?
- How might the visual elements amplify or complement your written message?
- Is there a metaphor in the artwork that could extend your words?
Sit with both your message and the art, allowing them to speak to each other.
Example: The card shows a small flock of geese flying against a vast evening sky. There's something about the vastness and the togetherness that feels relevant to my brother's questioning of his life path—this sense of being part of something larger while finding his own way.
Final message with integrated art:
Brother—
As you turn 40, I find myself thinking about who you truly are beneath all the roles and responsibilities. You measure yourself by achievements and milestones, but I measure you by the way you've shown up for others, time and again, often in ways you consider too small to count. Remember when you spent your Saturday helping Mrs. Lawson move her furniture? She still mentions it. That's the legacy that matters—the trail of people who felt seen because you took the time to look.
Like these geese finding their way across an endless sky, you're part of something larger than any single destination. The path matters, but so does the company you keep along the way. Whatever direction you choose next, that gift for connection goes with you. It always has.
Happy birthday to a man whose impact is far greater than he knows.
With affection,
***
The Flyways Method isn't about performance, but about presence. It's about the courage to say something real when it matters most. The words that change lives rarely come from greeting card companies. They come from people who dare to see clearly, speak honestly, and care enough to find the words that truly serve.