Thanksgiving Thoughts
A few days before Thanksgiving, I received emails from friends or people I’d helped. As I read them, it hit me that there are different ways of giving thanks.
First is what I call the obligatory offering—an acknowledgment in response to something I’ve done for them. And yes, I felt good knowing they appreciated my efforts.
The second I call the caring message. Perhaps they’re not unique, but when their words touch my emotions, I sense they came from their hearts.
One such message came from a member of the church where I worship. “Wonderful to see you Sunday. While you were gone, I missed you and my weekly Cec-hug.” That was the total message, but the words made me realize that one person cared enough to express her feelings.
The third is the surprise response—when someone says exactly the right thing to lift my spirits. In those instances, I hadn’t felt I’d done anything special. The recipient expressed appreciation in such a way that made me feel I had given them a significant gift of attention.
“I didn’t go out of my way to do that,” I’ve said. “It just seemed like the right thing to do.” Yet whenever I receive those surprise expressions, I’m encouraged to continue opening myself to others, which is being open to the better part of myself.
