Welcome to The Story Behind the Card—a new blog series where I share the inspiration, heart, and hope behind the greeting cards I create for Butterflies + Halos. Every card has a story. This is where I'll tell it.
Have you ever picked up a greeting card, opened it, and found...absolutely nothing? Just a blank page waiting to be filled.
One of the questions I am asked most often is, "Why are your cards blank inside?"
The answer is actually very simple: Because I don't know your story, and I don't think I should try to finish it for you.
Every Story of Loss Is Different
One of the greatest privileges of creating grief greeting cards is knowing they will become part of someone else’s intimate journey. I see these cards passing from a daughter writing to her mom, a husband remembering his wife, a friend reaching out after a difficult diagnosis, or a grandparent celebrating an angel birthday.
No two relationships are the same. No two losses are the same. Therefore, no two handwritten messages should be either.
That is why every Butterflies + Halos card is intentionally left blank inside. It’s not because I ran out of words—it’s because I want to leave room for yours.
The Most Meaningful Words Aren't Mine
When I design the front of a card, I am hoping it does just one thing: make someone feel seen. But once you open it, the card becomes entirely yours.
Maybe you will write a favorite memory or share a funny story. Maybe you will include a specific Bible verse that has carried you through difficult seasons. Or maybe you will simply write two words: "I’m here."
Sometimes, those two words are more than enough.
Years from now, someone may pull that card out of a keepsake memory box. They might find it tucked inside a Bible, pressed between the pages of a journal, or resting in a bedside drawer. When they do, it won’t be my printed sentiment they recognize. It will be your handwriting. Your love. Your encouragement. Your heart.
That is something a factory-printed message could never replace.
Why Blank Is Beautiful in a Digital World
We live in a world where so much is already written for us. Text messages auto-correct our sentences, phones predict our words, and artificial intelligence can write entire letters. Because raw, handwritten words are becoming rare, they have become infinitely more meaningful.
Your handwriting tells someone, "I slowed down for you. I sat still and thought about you. You mattered enough for me to pick up a pen." That is a true gift.
Every empathy card I create begins with one core question: How do I want someone to feel when they open this envelope? The answer is always the same—seen, loved, remembered, and never alone. The front of the card opens the conversation. The inside is where your love becomes part of the story.
💛 Shop This Story
Featured Card: Lifting You Up on This Angelversary Card
When the anniversary date of a loss arrives, people often freeze. They have a hard time knowing what to say, how to show up, or if they should even reach out at all. They worry about "reminding" the person of their grief—but the truth is, the grieving person never forgets.
This top-selling card was designed to break that silence and gently begin a conversation. It lets them know their loved one is remembered, while leaving the blank space inside for you to write the personal words only you can say.
- Perfect For: Acknowledging the difficult milestone of a death anniversary, offering comfort, and showing a grieving friend that they are not carrying this heavy date alone.
- My Hope: That the blank space inside becomes a place where your words are treasured long after the anniversary passes.
(If this card speaks to your heart—or to someone you love—you can find it here.)
A Gentle Takeaway
The next time you open a blank greeting card, try not to see an empty page. See an invitation. It is an invitation to tell someone they are remembered, to honor a legacy, and to write the exact words only you can write.
Because sometimes, the most powerful part of a sympathy card isn't what was printed by a machine—it’s what was written with love.