Tag: thank you

Thank You, Health Workers, Thank You

Fortune for the day – “Anticipate the good so you may enjoy it.” – Ethiopian proverb

Sometimes it takes something monumentally jarring, to shake us out of our unconscious fog, our dull routines, our smug righteousness, and our unhealthy patterns. On an individual basis that can mean an accident, a job loss, a health scare, a broken relationship, or a death of a loved one, among other things. There is nothing like a crisis to bring our most important priorities into sharp, clear focus. That is the good that comes out of all crises. We quickly remember what we are most grateful for, when whatever that is, is threatened to be taken from us. I pray that we all now realize that our biggest priorities are not our political leanings, the size of our bank accounts, the championships of our favorite teams, or where we are going on vacation this summer. Our biggest priority, clearly, is our collective health, our common humanity, and how we all respond to this health crisis, together, on a global basis. Without good global health, we cannot live life as we know it. Everything we love about living, the everyday experiences, the daily freedoms and joys, quickly get eroded away, until we are all isolated, alone and afraid to do anything. Does it take something this extreme for us to realize how much of living comfortably and easily, we take for granted?

A lot of people who I know, have been comparing the scenes lately in the grocery stores, in the neighborhoods, and on the news channels, to science fiction movies, where we inhabitants of Earth, have one common enemy, that we must come together, in order to defeat it. I always feel so excited and energized and proud, when all of the actors in these sci-fi movies, from every background, every nation, come together, pool their resources and make mince meat out of the “evil” invaders. I hope beyond hope that we have a glorious, reality-TV moment, in the near future, where we muster all of our greatest strength, and all of our collective brilliance, and all of our deepest compassion, from every corner of this globe, and we put this COVID-19 thing behind us, triumphantly, and unitedly.

Most importantly, I want to say thank you, especially to all of the VERY brave health workers out there, all over the globe. Your bravery and sacrifice and calm countenance, is awe-striking. You are showing all of us what is the very best about our humanity. Thank you for that much-needed reminder. You are true, selfless leaders. Thank you for everything. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Just Say Thank You

 

Why is it so hard for us to accept compliments?  My friends and I got into a discussion about this the other day.  The topic came up because an electrician was at my home doing some work for us and he complimented a few things in our home.  Every time that he paid me a compliment, I rolled my eyes, made up some stupid quip about the item that he was complimenting, or I laughed.  Now, I know my etiquette.  I know that the proper thing is to just say “thank you,” but I didn’t do that and I didn’t even realize that I didn’t do it until he would respond to me like this, “Oh, so you don’t really like it?”  That response jolted me into some self-awareness of just how lousy I am at accepting compliments sometimes.

My friend said that when we don’t accept compliments we are actually insulting the person who paid the compliment.  When we put down what someone else says is nice, we are dissing their tastes.  We think that we are being kind or humble by not accepting compliments, but in reality we are rejecting their gift of kindness.  Another knee-jerk response to a compliment is to compliment the other person back.  But those “gotcha back” compliments seem kind of hollow, as a true compliment comes spontaneously from the heart, not as a “payback.”

Compliments are great. We should bask in them.  Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Robert Orben said, “A compliment is verbal sunshine.”  Why not give the person who compliments a little “verbal sunshine” back with a big, bright smile and a, “Thank you. You just made my day!”  What is a better way to make both of you feel good???

We are unfortunately quick to accept criticism.  Even if we think we haven’t accepted the criticism, we ruminate on it all day long.  We stew in anger at the audacity of whomever criticized us or we sulk in shame as if making one mistake dooms us to the depths of hell.  If we are willing to put ourselves through all of that for criticism, constructive or not, why would we not allow ourselves to soak in the light of a kind compliment?  I think the cartoon character Happy Bunny says it best:

“Please put all criticisms in the form of a compliment.”

 

Oh Just to Be With You . . . Thank You

When I was little girl there was a kids’ show that I watched called Romper Room.  The teacher, who was sort of the show’s director would hold up a magnifying glass and peer through it.  She would say directly to the TV screen, “I see Billy.  I see Susie.  I see Rachel and I see you!  I see you!”  When I was very little, I bought it: hook, line and sinker.  Then I started getting “in the know” and my cynical self thought, “Oh really?  How the hell can she see me?”  Well, maybe I didn’t swear, but I was a little annoyed at myself for getting duped.

Earlier this year when I attended the Taylor Swift concert, Taylor talked more than a couple of times about having a very personal relationship with her fans and audience.  I felt a little skeptical when she said it, but she did seem so emotionally sincere.  I had just recently started blogging and everything was so new that I didn’t quite understand this connection.  But now I do.

First of all, I need to say thank you.  I started this blog on an emotional whim.  My eldest child had just left the nest and I had so many words, emotions, questions, doubts, fears, etc. swirling around in my head.  Writing has always been the best outlet for me to really organize the swirl in my head and try to make sense of it all.  I felt like a blog would be a great personal tool for me to heal and grow.  It has definitely been that for me, but also so much more.

I thought writing a blog would better help me to connect with myself and it does help me with that, but I had no idea how connected it would make me feel with others.  I have good IRL (in real life) family and friends who support my blog and read it regularly.  I can’t thank you enough for all of your love, and support, and the kindness you have given to me throughout my life.  I treasure you all.  But readers out there, who I have never met in person, I thank you, as well.  I treasure you.  I never knew I needed you, but I did.  You make me feel like I have a voice worth listening to; you make me feel heard and understood.  I appreciate you more than you know.

I feel a personal connection to this blog, of course, but also to everyone who reads it.  Your time is precious.  You choose what is a worthwhile way to spend your time and when you read my blog you are giving me a gift of your precious time. Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  I sincerely honor that and respect that offering.  What used to be looked at as just a personal release (my blog), has now become a responsibility to those who entrust their time to it.  I don’t take that lightly.  I get up every morning excited to write, excited to release, but mostly excited to connect to you all, my readers.  As an entity, my readers, you have become another part of my life whom I love, treasure and feel responsible to be accountable and there for you.  I want our daily connection to be that “comfortable old pair of slippers” that will always be there for both of us.  I promise you to be as reliable and as honest and as “real” as I can be.  I see you all as my friends and I am grateful for you.  I see you. Thank you.