Mom's Sweet Mailbox Makeover Reminds Me to Cherish Little Things

Cherishing the Little Things: My Mom's Inbox Makeover

As I scrolled through my phone over morning coffee, a new text from Mom caught my eye. She had attached a short video peeking my interest right away. I clicked play to see her familiar front yard come into view, the flowerbeds popping with color before the camera panned over to the white post by the road. The once beaten-down old mailbox there was now sporting a fresh coat of paint and decorative touches. As Mom's voice cheerfully said "Surprise!" in the video, I couldn't help but smile. It was such a simple thing, but so very thoughtful. The little mailbox makeover was the perfect representation of why I love and appreciate my mom so much.

Appreciating the Small Gestures

Life can feel so busy and hectic sometimes that it's easy to overlook the smaller acts of love and kindness in our day-to-day lives. My mom has always been one to notice and cherish those little things though. A cup of tea appearing just when you need it, a silly inside joke that never fails to make you smile, a freshly baked cookie waiting when you walk in the door after a long day. The little mailbox makeover she gifted me via text that morning fell right into this category.

As her daughter, I have been the recipient of these sorts of small but caring gestures from Mom my whole life. She has a knack for noticing when someone she loves could use a pick-me-up and acting on that instinct with whatever act of love she can manage in the moment. The painted mailbox was clearly one of these inspired acts, and seeing the joy it brought to her in that video as she anticipated my reaction just doubled the smile it put on my face.

The Story Behind the Mailbox

The mailbox itself has been a staple of my parents’ home for over thirty years now. It has weathered countless storms and hosted families of spiders and wasps in its darker corners. That old white post by the road has housed hundreds upon hundreds of letters and has faithfully held catalogs, bills, birthday cards, and packages alike for decades.

It was one of those things that slowly faded into the background. Its steady, reliable presence meant that the chips in the paint or the cobwebs in the inner corners didn’t even register for those coming and going each day. But during the unusual spring of quarantine isolation, that familiar mailbox must have caught my sentimental mother’s eye with new significance and inspiration.

Undertaking a DIY Mailbox Makeover

Never one to shy away from a good DIY project, Mom decided to use this pause in normal activity to breathe some new life into this small extension of our family home. She gathered up supplies and got to work repairing cracks, sanding away rough edges, brushing off layers of dust and grime before finally applying a few coats of fresh white paint.

As I would expect, she didn’t stop there. A few trips around the yard gathering ivy vines and flowers from her garden, and the post was soon decorated with natural touches. Stepping back to admire her work, she must have realized she needed to share this little act of creation and so pulled out her phone to document and text me right away. The joy and pride was evident on her face even just over a brief video as she panned over her efforts.

Appreciating All the Special Touches

Seeing that wonderful little mailbox mini-makeover was a bright spot in my day and made me feel more connected to my mom and my family home even from a distance. It was amazing how just taking a few minutes to watch her little video made me feel – I smiled bigger, my mood lifted, and my heart just felt fuller.

It also impressed upon me again how skilled my mom is at noticing what small acts she can take to make someone’s day better and then making it happen. Research has shown that these little acts of kindness have immense power for building stronger relationships. That freshly painted mailbox will now make me smile every single time I come home thanks to the love and effort mom put into this simple gift for me.

Sparking My Own Little Acts of Love

Seeing her sweet surprise made me start thinking about what little gestures or moments of additional thought I could add into my interactions with family and friends both near and far. Maybe I’ll take some time this week to paint some cheerful flowerpots for my sister’s front porch. Or bake up an batch of my dad’s favorite chocolate chip cookies to drop off for a quick hello when I’m in the neighborhood.

Even just sending more frequent little loving texts to the important people in my life reminding them that I’m thinking of them and appreciate them may spark some added everyday joy. My mom has always been my greatest teacher when it comes to keeping your heart open enough to see what small but meaningful gestures you can make for others. Her darling little mailbox mini-makeover was just one more lesson in love from her long legacy of teaching by doing.

Feeling Extra Grateful

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been such an stressful, sad time for so many as people deal with loss of loved ones, jobs, opportunities and normalcy. But for me, the silver linings have included extra moments to connect with my mom virtually and realize how much I cherish someone that dedicates her heart and time to gestures like freshening up the old mailbox just to spark a smile from me.

Her actions remind me to hold my loved ones a little closer and intentionally make more time for small acts of love even from afar. For this lesson and for my newly beautified mailbox standing sentry at my childhood home, I’m extremely grateful today. Thanks Mom for making this small corner of the world brighter!

FAQs

Why did your mom decide to paint the old mailbox?

During the unusual pause of quarantine isolation, my sentimental mother noticed the beaten-down old mailbox by the road with new inspiration. After decades of reliable service, it had faded into the background and she wanted to breathe new life into this small extension of my family's home.

What decorations did she add to the mailbox?

In addition to several coats of fresh white paint to repair cracks and smooth damaged areas, my mom decorated the post with natural touches from her garden. She wound ivy vines and an assortment of colorful flowers around the post and mailbox.

How did seeing the makeover make you feel?

I was filled with joy and appreciation! My mom's small act of creation and the pride on her face in the video she sent me lifted my whole mood. It reminded me of her talent for small gestures of love and her dedication to our family.

Did this inspire any additional actions from you?

Yes, it made me more motivated to undertake my own small acts of kindness and love for family and friends. I decided I would paint flower pots or drop off baked goods just to spark smiles from other loved ones in my life.