Other companies give congratulations cards to their employees. I know this because my cousin flaunts her corporate greeting cards every time she gets one from her boss. She keeps the greeting cards in a scrapbook for Pete’s sake! Obviously, receiving these greeting cards gives her a sense of pride.

The last time I hinted to my boss that there was such a thing as business congratulations cards, he looked at me as if I had two heads. I persevered, however, adding that my cousin had a whole collection of business greeting cards that were given to her by her supervisor and that she confided to me that she works a little harder each time she gets a greeting card. OK, maybe that last statement was a slight exaggeration.

Well, needless to say, when I had an important company inventory report completed a week before it was due, I was totally blown away when I found two greeting cards on my desk. Were they congratulations cards? You bet they were! One was from my boss and another from our production manager. When I thanked my boss for the greeting card, he smiled and said, “I am glad you like my idea!”

I held my tongue because it really didn’t matter that the idea for business congratulations cards was mine. What mattered was that I could now buy a scrapbook for my own collection of greeting cards. Maybe I’ll display all of my employee birthday cards in this scrapbook too!

Last year, I was so upset at my friend Anthony. We basically grew up together, first meeting in middle school. We remained friends all that time, playing video games, going for drinks, trips to the zoo, everything. For my 23rd birthday, I got nothing from Anthony; no birthday card, no phone call, not even an email! I was very upset with him, though I knew at the time that it was a petty thing to get upset about. I know he didn’t forget; my birthday is the title of one of his favorite songs! I wrote him an email message that had some subtly scathing undertones and got no reply. I couldn’t believe it!

A few days after my birthday, my best friend Rhonda threw me a surprise party at her house. I was so shocked and so happy! Anthony was at the party and told me that the reason he didn’t reach out to me on my birthday is because he was afraid he would spill the beans about the party. I still gave him a little grief about it, but the joke was on me all along. Anthony gave me a personalized birthday card with a heartfelt note inside. “Better late than never!” he said to me as he handed over the birthday card. He was right, that was the best birthday I have had to date. I took Anthony outside, threw him off the balcony and laughed.