Stimula-ting Mail

We received an official-looking piece of mail.  Written in red, stand-out letters were these words:

Understanding Your Economic Stimulus Payment

Did we get a check?" my husband asked.

I actually thought we'd already received our payment, that it had been included with the direct deposit made with my federal return. I was a bit confused. With all the talk lately about "Economic Stimulus Payments," I lost track of what was actually going on.

We opened the letter, like so many other eager Americans, and read these words.

"You are entitled to an economic stimulus payment of $X."

A little more than I thought, which is good, I said.

"You can expect payment by such-and-such a date."

Oh, didn't know that.

"What You Need to Do."

Basically, nothing.

As a writer of all things eclectic, but particularly an expert on the art of the business message, I'm always amazed by the disparity between the media headlines enticing us to believe the economic stimulus payment is the best thing since sliced bread, and these archaic, emotionless pieces of paper that come to us in the mail from government officials with a serious tone and passive voice rhetoric. The flatness glazes us over and renders us motionless as we absorb the nothingness of its contents.

Wouldn't it be better to get a letter that declared boldly on the outside, "Good News Inside!" with a smiley face next to it?

Then as a more uplifting salutation, "Congratulations. As part of a collaborative effort to jumpstart our economy, your government is pleased to provide you with this wonderful bonus refund for being such a good taxpayer during the year."

And maybe end with a, "Thanks for everything you do to help keep America full speed ahead."

Hey, I'm not knocking the Economic Stimulus Payment.  It's always nice to get money you did not expect. However, like most people (according to the countless polls) we're not planning to go out and spend our windfall on another flat screen television or ipod. No, like most others we'll probably pay off a bill. Or put it into savings. Or fill a tank with gas.

An Economic Stimulus Payment isn't going to change the world. But if receiving that piece of paper in the mail reminds us all that each and every one of us has to change how we live -- that we can choose to drive more fuel efficient cars, or maybe bike to the grocery store, or better plan errands so we do more driving less miles, or recycle more goods....if our habits truly change as a result of receiving our government bonus....then we'll be back in better shape than ever before.

But if we just cash the check and spend it, nothing will change.  And therein lies the importance of delivering the right message.