I kept a gratitude journal for years, but for whatever reason I had stopped doing that until I started up again recently. Some evenings I have to think a little to find my 'required' 3 entries for that day, while other times I have 'trouble' picking from a plethora of choices. In any event, it's definitely a worthwhile exercise - everyone should try it. It's a delightful way to discover that in the Big Picture, there's SO much in Life for which to be grateful... but too often we focus on hole and not the bagel!
And Marvey McKay's column today,
Never Forget to Express Your Thanks, starts off this way:
A university professor began reflecting on the people who had a positive impact on his life. In particular, he remembered a schoolteacher who had gone out of her way to instill in him a love of poetry. He hadn't seen or spoken to her in many years, but he found her address and sent her a letter of thanks. A short time later, he received this reply:
"'My dear Willie, I cannot tell you how much your note meant to me. I am in my 80s, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely and, like the last leaf of autumn, lingering behind. You will be interested to know that I taught school for 50 years, and yours is the first note of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue-cold morning, and it cheered me as nothing has in many years."
The teacher's note brought the professor to tears - and then he began searching for others who'd shaped his life, just to say thanks.
If only more people held onto gratitude the way they hold a grudge!
None of us got to where we are alone. Whether the assistance we received was obvious or subtle, acknowledging someone's help is a big part of understanding the importance of saying thank you.
It's more than just good manners. Saying thank you - and meaning it - is never a bad idea. It appeals to a basic human need to be appreciated. It sets the stage for the next pleasant encounter. And it keeps in perspective the importance of receiving and giving help.
