--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It…" description: "\"Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard. GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES it said on the front. Park turned it over and recognize..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg" --- # Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard… ![“Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard. GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES it said on the front. Park turned it over and recognized her scratchy handwriting. It filled his head with song lyrics. He sat up. He smiled. Something heavy and winged took off from his chest. Eleanor…” quote by Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg) > “Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard. GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES it said on the front. Park turned it over and recognized her scratchy handwriting. It filled his head with song lyrics. He sat up. He smiled. Something heavy and winged took off from his chest. Eleanor hadn't written him a letter, it was a postcard. Just three words long.” [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A simple postcard from Eleanor lifts the protagonist’s spirits, showing how small gestures can carry deep emotional weight. **In simple terms:** A postcard brightens his mood. Key Takeaway Appreciate small acts of love. Themes love communication memory hope healing Mood nostalgic hopeful Type romantic inspirational When to use this quote - receiving a note - writing a short message - sharing memories Key Concepts emotional resonance minimalist expression intimacy Questions to Reflect On - What does a short note mean to you? - How can brevity convey depth? A Different Perspective Even brief messages can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greetings/) [Handwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handwriting/) [Lakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lakes/) [Postcard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postcard/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [“It was a postcard. 'Greetings from the Land of 10,000 Lakes,' it said on the front. Park turned it over and recognized her scratchy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/it-was-a-postcard-greetings-from-the-land-of-10-000-lakes-it-said-on/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“He sat up. He smiled. Something heavy and winged took off from his chest. Eleanor hadn’t written him a letter, it was a postcard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell-eleanor-and-park/he-sat-up-he-smiled-something-heavy-and-winged-took-off-from-his/) [Rainbow Rowell Eleanor and Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell-eleanor-and-park/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [What goes by the name of love is banishment, with now and then a postcard from the homeland, such is my considered opinion, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-goes-by-the-name-of-love-is-banishment-with-now-and-then-a/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [That's why when I send a postcard I quiz people. "Hey, did you get that postcard?" "Yeah, yeah yeah." "Well what'd I say?" "Uh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/that-s-why-when-i-send-a-postcard-i-quiz-people-hey-did-you-get-that/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Don't ever forget the words on a postcard that my father sent me last year: "If you win the rat race, you're still a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/don-t-ever-forget-the-words-on-a-postcard-that-my-father-sent-me-last/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Why do you have to be out of town to write a postcard? I want a to write a postcard to my neighbor: "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/why-do-you-have-to-be-out-of-town-to-write-a-postcard-i-want-a-to/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [A postcard. Neat handwriting fills the rectangle. Half my days I cannot bear to touch you. The rest of my time I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/a-postcard-neat-handwriting-fills-the-rectangle-half-my-days-i-cannot/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/the-world-before-us-is-a-postcard-and-i-imagine-the-story-we-are/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [I'm pretty satisfied with how 'Postcard' turned out. I think everybody did a great job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jardine/i-m-pretty-satisfied-with-how-postcard-turned-out-i-think-everybody/) [Al Jardine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jardine/) > [For email, the old postcard rule applies. Nobody else is supposed to read your postcards, but you'd be a fool if you wrote anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/for-email-the-old-postcard-rule-applies-nobody-else-is-supposed-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I once got a postcard from a French poet who wrote - "you don't know me but I'm always very grumpy when I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-once-got-a-postcard-from-a-french-poet-who-wrote-you-don-t-know-me/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [I've never seen a postcard of my work in a museum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-guyton/i-ve-never-seen-a-postcard-of-my-work-in-a-museum/) [Wade Guyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-guyton/) > [Just as in writing, there are novelistic and sort of pedestrian ways of telling a story, to write a postcard with your little pocket…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/just-as-in-writing-there-are-novelistic-and-sort-of-pedestrian-ways/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [I shot many scenes of Hamburg, albums full of postcard motifs, and I discarded almost all of them. I ride my bike through Hamburg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatih-ak-n/i-shot-many-scenes-of-hamburg-albums-full-of-postcard-motifs-and-i/) [Fatih Ak?n](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatih-ak-n/) ## More by Rainbow Rowell > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Someone was knocking on her windshield. Georgie lifted her head off the steering wheel. It was Kendrick. She couldn’t really hear what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/someone-was-knocking-on-her-windshield-georgie-lifted-her-head-off/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Maybe Park had paralyzed her with his ninja magic, his Vulcan handhold, and now he was going to eat her. That would be awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/maybe-park-had-paralyzed-her-with-his-ninja-magic-his-vulcan-handhold/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She wouldn't pick up a fight him just because she was bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-wouldn-t-pick-up-a-fight-him-just-because-she-was-bored/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“That person thought that wearing an ugly dress on the happiest day of someone else's life was just the beginning-the line you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-person-thought-that-wearing-an-ugly-dress-on-the-happiest-day-of/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Is this where you tell me that I'm a scoundrel, and I say that I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/is-this-where-you-tell-me-that-i-m-a-scoundrel-and-i-say-that-i-think/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Te informo de que mi respuesta a tus próximas doce afirmaciones va a ser: «¿Cómo dices?»”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/te-informo-de-que-mi-respuesta-a-tus-pr-ximas-doce-afirmaciones-va-a/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Dude. Let it go. Good riddance to bad rubbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/dude-let-it-go-good-riddance-to-bad-rubbers/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [He looked exactly like a rat. Like the human being version of a rat. Like the villain in a Don Bluth movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-looked-exactly-like-a-rat-like-the-human-being-version-of-a-rat/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Tell me more about the mountains, Georgie said, because she wasn't really sure what to ask. Because ' tell me where I went wrong'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/tell-me-more-about-the-mountains-georgie-said-because-she-wasn-t/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Wait, I really do need your help with this." He turned his computer monitor toward her and pointed. "Is this funny? It's a Snoopy/Snoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/wait-i-really-do-need-your-help-with-this-he-turned-his-computer/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“You need to cool down first.” “I’m cool.” “Simon. You’re never cool.” “That hurts, Penny.” “It shouldn’t. It’s one of the reasons I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-need-to-cool-down-first-i-m-cool-simon-you-re-never-cool-that/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She'd get out of the shower the next morning, and it would be written in the steam on the mirror. Dance. Dress. Try a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-d-get-out-of-the-shower-the-next-morning-and-it-would-be-written/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) [Explore all 1,108 Rainbow Rowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## More Eleanor quotes > [Eleanor's voice was below zero. 'My finest horse to whichever faerie in this room brings me that woman's left eye.' My thoughts exactly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/eleanor-s-voice-was-below-zero-my-finest-horse-to-whichever-faerie-in/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“If Utopia is not a place, but a people, then we must choose carefully, for the world is about to change, and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bioshock/if-utopia-is-not-a-place-but-a-people-then-we-must-choose-carefully/) Bioshock > [For years afterwards when Amory thought of Eleanor he seemed still to hear the wind sobbing around him and sending little chills into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/for-years-afterwards-when-amory-thought-of-eleanor-he-seemed-still-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [You know?" he repeated. She smiled, so he kissed her. "You're not the Han Solo in this relationship, you know." "I'm totally the Han…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-know-he-repeated-she-smiled-so-he-kissed-her-you-re-not-the-han/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [ I think the fact that she \[Eleanor Roosevelt\] was a woman probably in those days would have been an additional criticism, although first ladies… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-rusher/i-think-the-fact-that-she-eleanor-roosevelt-was-a-woman-probably-in/) [William A. Rusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-rusher/) > [I am not a poor child, Lady Eleanor," Madelyne announced, letting her anger sound in her voice. "Duncan won't marry you. He won't sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/i-am-not-a-poor-child-lady-eleanor-madelyne-announced-letting-her/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [I think the most important thing I wanted to say at various times to Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt was that it seemed so sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-think-the-most-important-thing-i-wanted-to-say-at-various-times-to/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“The world turned itself into a better place around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/the-world-turned-itself-into-a-better-place-around-him/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Either we're removing a dictator who currently has plans to fund terrorism against American citizens or -- if Bush is completely wrong and Eleanor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/either-we-re-removing-a-dictator-who-currently-has-plans-to-fund/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/holding-eleanor-s-hand-was-like-holding-a-butterfly-or-a-heartbeat/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [And Grandmother Hall really imagines that she can raise Eleanor and her two brothers differently than these children were raised. And if she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/and-grandmother-hall-really-imagines-that-she-can-raise-eleanor-and/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [“Don't do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/don-t-do-it-eleanor-told-the-little-girl-insist-on-your-cup-of-stars/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [And you can really see in all of these issues that are priorities for Eleanor Roosevelt, where the compromises are painful, the compromises are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/and-you-can-really-see-in-all-of-these-issues-that-are-priorities-for/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [Well, when Eleanor Roosevelt's mother dies, she goes to live with her Grandmother Hall. And her Grandmother Hall is in mourning. She's in widow's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanche-wiesen-cook/well-when-eleanor-roosevelt-s-mother-dies-she-goes-to-live-with-her/) [Blanche Wiesen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanche-wiesen-cook/) > [Yes Leopold," Eleanor said in a low, mocking voice. "Do start to shine, please. I think I saw the rising, but I definitely missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/yes-leopold-eleanor-said-in-a-low-mocking-voice-do-start-to-shine/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) Browse all 154 Eleanor quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard. GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES it said on the front. Park turned it over and recognized her scratchy handwriting. It filled his head with song lyrics. He sat up. He smiled. Something heavy and winged took off from his chest. Eleanor hadn't written him a letter, it was a postcard. Just three words long.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rainbow Rowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-was-a-postcard-greetings-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eleanor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-was-a-postcard-greetings-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor_eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-w_2437107.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Eleanor hadn't written him a letter. It was a postcard. GREETINGS FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES it said on…” — Rainbow Rowell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rainbow Rowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Eleanor hadn't written him a letter....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-was-a-postcard-greetings-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/eleanor-hadn-t-written-him-a-letter-it-was-a-postcard-greetings-from/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```