It's been one of those dreary days outside, putting me into one of those "deep thinking" modes. I think you can relate to this kind of day. The kind when something is just gnawing at you.
I was pondering...what is happening to the Art of Gratitude? The lost art of letter writing? If a gift is given, or a kind act is bestowed, isn't it important to recognize the thoughtfulness of the giver with a short note of appreciation, or at the very least, a phone call or email?
One of my favorite stories is about a family friend, (let's call her "Mildred"), sending fresh Dungeness crab every year to some members of my family back east (let's call them "the Smiths"). Every year it was the same, Mildred sent the box of fresh crab and never received a thank you or acknowledgment from the Smiths. Year after year Mildred wondered if the Smiths had received the crab. When finally asked by another family member, Mrs. Smith replied, "If someone gives something with the expectation of a thank you, they shouldn't give it. I just don't have the time to reply. We have such a busy life." Well, I hope you know how the story ends. Mildred never sent the crab again.
Perhaps I'm from an older generation that were taught since childhood to send thank you notes for gifts we received, or call someone to thank them for the dinner party we attended the previous night. I still think it's the right thing to do. It only takes a moment. And, how many times do we get disappointed when someone doesn't acknowledge something we've done, even though we're not doing it to get something back in return?
Okay, I'll get off of my soap box now. Promise. Let me sign off by giving you a BIG THANK YOU for reading my blog, leaving comments when I may not have time to reciprocate (I hope I'm not sounding like Mrs. Smith), and sharing your stories. I'm already starting to feel brighter!
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