Six: We Get What We Give…So Give Thanks

Gratitude is always welcome and often unexpected. I had to fill out an online form for a vendor today, and at the end I thanked them for their wonderful service. The person who responded back thanked me for thanking them and noted, “Not everyone writes them messages of thank you, so it meant a lot to the team.” I thought it was a kind response, and it made me a little sad. People forgetting to say thank you…ugh!

We encounter people everyday that do things for us, provide services, complete tasks for us, even take the time to listen to our needs even if they cannot solve the issue. I was taught – and believe – that being grateful and showing that gratitude makes everyone’s lives better. It is an easy way to build people up and remind us that we cannot live this life alone, we need other people. I like how Alice Walker mentions that saying ‘thank you’, “it expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” All very powerful words and emotions for both parties to experience in a world that is mired in online interactions and clicking buttons.

‘Thank you’ comes from a place of self respect and the ability to recognize when others have made our own life better. It means being able to allow someone else to be the center of attention. It means focusing our energy on making someone else know that what they do matters. And it means for a moment we have the power to brighten someone else’s life. Uttering two words can change everything and anything.

Say ‘thank you’ to someone today. Use your power, your words, your attitude for good. Take the time to brighten someone else’s day especially if yours is going badly. We get what we give, so give thanks!

Thank you for reading and posting your comments on my blog. It has been exciting to see which words and art pieces stimulate what kinds of comments. Only five more to go until I hit one thousand, so stay tuned!