Gratitude

Alan Weiss's The Uncomfortable Truth®

We made four significant charitable contributions to the arts at year end. Two of the the group’s management called to thank us. Whenever I see a positive mention about me on social media, I write in to simply say thanks for the generosity. I thank bussers and gas station attendants. I thank my trainer each time. It doesn’t matter whether I’m paying them or not. People get unduly upset when people in other cars don’t express thanks for being able to turn, but I don’t let them turn in order to be thanked. And they may be preoccupied. But people always say “thanks” when you hold a door, I think because of the physical proximity. I thank my doctor and dentist and attorney. I thank people who pay me. It’s more than a common courtesy, it’s a symbol of respect and dignity. Removing used plates and leftover food is an important service in terms of a dining experience, as is standing out in the elements and pouring gas into my car. A great many people, believers and non-believers, reflexively say “Thank God” when something good occurs, from an illness recovery to a victory for the home team. But I don’t believe He is the one who’s concerned. Yet we see this desperate need to thank someone! Some of us offer thanks publicly, some privately, some often, some infrequently. But I think we all tend to exhibit gratitude when things go our way or weren’t as bad as we feared. Thank God for that.