I had a birthday last week and am already behind on writing thank you notes to people who took me to dinner, bought me gifts or simply remembered.
It’s never a chore to say it in person, at the moment, so that’s usually my go to. But these days, more than ever, I think people also appreciate getting a note.
Sure, a text is okay. And an email is adequate. But a hand-written note in an ever-growing, impersonal digital world? Who does that anymore?
Not enough of us.
And by handwritten note I don’t mean giving A.I. the assignment of figuring it out for you.
Better not to send it along at all.
It’s the impolite social equivalent of regifting.
Something about it WILL seem off to the reader even though you are sure it won’t. They might not know you were helped along by something unhuman but they are likely to think your response is something less than human (Note: Aka real).
Which robs the gratitude of any true meaning. Unless what you meant by it was to fulfill a social obligation that would otherwise have you come off as cold and unappreciative.
Or in old-fashioned parlance, raised by wolves.
Speaking of which, can you believe we live in a world where the president of the United States calls a female reporter Piggy out loud?
Perhaps you can.
What about admonishing her on camera with, Quiet, Piggy,, receiving no on-the-spot blowback from fellow journalists, and having the White House press secretary then publicly laud said POTUS for his frankness and openness?
Perhaps we should skip the thank yous and go straight to the I’m sorry(s).
In any event, it’s THANKSgiving time for MOST of us.
And I selfishly prefer the former.
Because, at the end of the day, any reason for saying thank you should give any one of us who says it a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Since the very fact of doing it means that someone (Note: Or more than one) did something NICE for YOU.
It doesn’t have to be BIG.
Or BIGLY.
Or HUUUUGE.
Just nice.
Imagine that when you’re eating your turkey.
Or tofurkey.
Or simply taking it upon yourself to treat another person kindly for no reason at all other than common decency. And with no expectation of receiving anything in return.
Not even a thank you note.
It will make receiving one all the more warm and fuzzy. An even more convincing confirmation that doing an act of kindness for someone else, one that they might even give you thanks for, doesn’t make you a chump.
Despite what you are seeing from the top. On a weekly, and often daily, basis.
Pearls before swine, you know.
Golden Girls – “Thank You For Being A Friend”
notes from a chair 