When I was little, my mom would write notes for me and put them in my lunch boxes. It would have a small message saying, "Have a good day at school" or "I miss you!". When I went on camping trips for school, she would write a card and have the rest of my family write little notes for me, too. In second grade, I realized those cards made me more homesick, but I continued to read them whenever I missed them throughout the trip.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized how much a text or a little note could impact someone's day or even life, and I wanted to help those around me feel the same relief that I felt when I read a handwritten note or card from my loved ones. So, in 2020, my 7th-grade year, I created XOXO, Anna Cards.

It began with handwritten calligraphy using my $5 brush tip pens on some cardstock that I folded in half. Throughout the first few months of my small business, I continued to get better and better at calligraphy. Then, my mom got me a tablet and a digital pen that interacted with the tablet. After that, the cards became digital art I would print onto the cardstock. As of today, we're continuing to try our best to make the cards as unique and detailed as possible.

I hope, after reading this, that you can find a way to spread aloha to someone today. Text a loved one some words of encouragement or write them a handwritten note. You never know how it might impact them.