Give Thanks… in Writing

I loved the challenge Todd Smith proposed on his Little Things Matter blog this morning.

  • Make a list of everything you have to be thankful for.
  • Reflect on the blessings in your life — especially the people who encourage, support and love you.
  • Express your thanks to those people.

My challenge today is to express that thanks in writing… on paper. Why paper? Why go to the trouble of buying a card and a stamp, writing out a note, finding a current address and mailing a thank you note? Because it means more to the recipient–and to you.

I send out countless emails everyday. Many times I’ll sign off with a note of thanks. As in “Thanks for your help!” It’s not part of my signature; I type those words because I actually mean them. But I know for every email I send, the receiver gets at least three more. If they all end in “Thanks for your help,” that phrase no longer holds its intended power.

But when you receive an unexpected note in the mail that expresses why someone is thankful for what you’ve done for them… wow. It’s like getting a package at camp with your favorite snack and extra money for the trading post. It feels good! It makes you feel incredibly special.

You have the power to give that blessing to the people in your life. All it takes is a few minutes, a card and a stamp.

This weekend, between the turkey, parades, football games and shopping adventures, take a few minutes to write a note of thanks to the people who have encouraged you this year. Be specific in your praise; tell them why you appreciate them and how they’ve impacted your life.

It’s a little thing. But as Todd points out, little things matter.

Lynne Watts - January 12, 2011

I agree wholeheartedly with this post and I’m going to take it a little farther… what if you wrote a letter of thanks and recognition to those people in your life who have made a huge impact on your life, have been somewhat unrecognized and who may not be there to hear it before long? When my step-father died last July, I wrote a tribute to his life in my blog. My regret? That I didn’t write it before he died…

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