40+FAB Blog

Thank you list

One of the things I remember being reprimanded for as a child – especially when I was given something – was for not saying thank you. It was good manners to say please when you asked for something and thank you after you received it. Some call it the attitude of gratitude, others call it being appreciative but we all seem to agree it is an important code of conduct for the sane individual. 

There is the story of the man who had no shoes and he was very sad until he came across the man who had no feet. This made him change his mind and he was thankful for the feet that he had. It is a sad reality of the human condition that we hardly take stock of the benefits we have until we come across the misfortune of another. Is this the only way we should be prompted to be thankful? 

I like the meaning of the word ‘appreciation’ – the act of estimating the qualities of things and giving them their proper value. To me this is the real purpose of being thankful. So rather than wait to see the misfortunes of others or hear about them before being thankful, I daily take stock of what I have and ensure that I ascribe to them the proper value they deserve. To be thankful is to constantly be aware of the purpose and value of the things that I have. 

In that case, I am thankful for being alive and well! 
I am thankful for my family.
I am thank full for …

Let’s see how long you can make this list.