“Thank you Mary!”
I hear this phrase from my Director of Operations after every single phone call, meeting, or interaction. Without fail.
Being on the receiving end of this small phrase of gratitude started a thought train about what it means to say thank you.
It’s a common phrase that we hear every day. For many, it’s an instant response, an automatic reaction.
The phrase is so well-known that most English speakers even know how to say “thank you” in a variety of languages.
We use it when someone hands us a glass of water or puts away our shoes. We use it when someone sits and listens to us or hands us a tissue. The phrase is used in all seasons of life: seasons of joy, sorrow, happiness, depression.
There are two sides when saying thank you: the giving side and the receiving side. The giver, or one who says thank you, shows an instant display of gratitude however small it might be. The receiver, the one to whom thank you is being said, feels that display as an appreciation for the deed done.
Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.
Randy Pausch
Within two words, a basic interaction occurs.
One side humbles themselves enough to show gratitude while the other side is affirmed by the recognition.
When left unsaid, a simple good act is left without appreciation or recognition.
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
William Arthur Ward
It is impossible to always know what the people around you are going through. You won’t know when their efforts were last appreciated.
Therefore, always show your gratitude through saying thank you. It may have little effect on most people but guarantee there will be a day when a person is touched by your words, even if you are unaware. And then it will be worth it.
All it takes are two little words.
Thank you.
