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 Last year, I wrote about buying a box of thank you cards and sending them to people thanking them for what they have done for you. I love the idea so much, let's do it again. Think of the people in your life that have impacted yours. Who are these wonderful people who made a difference in your life that changed, supported, influenced or saved you in some way? What do you want to thank them for? Who by the mere mention of their name makes you feel a wash of gratitude that is so intense you can cry?
It may be easy to come up with a few names. Go ahead and write them. It may mean sending a note to someone you never wrote to before and they have no idea of the impact they had on you. It may mean that your thank you has to reach through a crusty misunderstanding, a past hurt or a too long gap since you last saw or spoke to them. It may mean being vulnerable and risk a 'no response'. But that's okay. A response is not necessary. Be grateful that you have a willing heart because a willing heart has all kinds of possibilities.
Who are the people who...
- Made you feel seen when you were sure you were invisible
- Stood by you or held you up during a very tough time
- Is the friend who knows what you are feeling without your saying words
- Said no to you and it was the right thing to do
- Put up with you when you were not quite so loveable
- Looked beyond your imperfections and still loved you anyway
- Went into the arena with you when you were taking courageous steps and were scared to death
What you say does not have to be grand. It just needs to come from the heart because your heart knows what to say. It is not a head thing. Pick up a box, send a few and have them ready for the next time. Don't make it a once a year event. It may become contagious.
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If you have been reading my newsletters for the past couple years, you already know that I love Thanksgiving. I start thinking about it and planning early to make the season last. The reality is that it is not just the traditions that I love the most; it is the opportunities to connect with people that really makes the holiday. It is being deliberate in slowing down to acknowledge that I see (really see) you and I want to thank you for seeing (really seeing) me. We rush so much of the time that we miss the opportunities to say thank you or I love you because we think we will have tomorrow or the next day to do it. That is not always the case. Life can be...life and it makes turns that sometimes leave us without another opportunity to say one more thing. Thanksgiving reminds me of the very human need to connect. It is an opportunity to say "Wow. Thank you. Do you know what you did for me?"