The Power of the THANK YOU

I’m only 39, but apparently that is old enough to make me an “old fuddy duddy.” I believe in hand written letters and homemade cards. I also believe in thanking people in person and sending thank you notes when you can’t.

They are a pain to write sometimes, but honestly, it’s the right thing to do. If someone went out of their way for you, whether it was just a nice gesture or whether someone spent time and money traveling across the country to attend your wedding, you should thank them. It might be just a wave to the car that let you in, or a smile and quick “Thanks” to a stranger that held the door for you. But it counts. And it encourages that person to repeat those actions for others. When you stop getting thanked, you stop caring, because no one seems to care about what you've done for them.

My grandparents expect thank you cards for the $2 they send for your birthday. If they don’t receive one, they will stop sending the $2. It’s really about the principle, not the money. And as I get older, I understand that philosophy more. I make my boys write thank you notes all the time. I hope they understand that it’s important and not just busy work.  

I get irritated when I utilize my time and money for someone and I don’t even get a measly text message telling me thanks. I’m OK not getting a handwritten note, because I know times have changed, but some acknowledgement of the gift I thoughtfully picked out for you, but couldn't be there to hand to you in person would be a nice thing. I’m starting to think that when I can’t be there in person to give someone a gift, I should just forget it, since more and more of the recipients don't seem to care enough to thank me.

I like doing things for people. I volunteer my time. I give my money. I try to pay things forward. I am not motivated by money, but rather appreciation. It gives me warm fuzzies inside knowing I could do something for someone or a group of people and they really appreciate my efforts.

I volunteered to review portfolios for interior design students at UNI. The professors bought me lunch and thanked me for taking time out of my day.  I received a hand written thank you for doing something I love: designing invitations for a Main Street Cedar Falls event. I was completely floored, as I certainly wasn't expecting anything. Since I volunteered to make the invitation, I considered it part of my “job” being on the committee I am on. I want to do more for them since I know I am appreciated. I received a hand written thank you for a donation of a cool bag for the IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Holiday party. I don’t ever remember getting a hand written thank you for previous donations. A verbal “thank you” is perfectly fine, but I almost felt the need to thank the party committee for the thank you they sent me because it meant so much.

As I write this, I realize I am overdue in showing my mother in law my appreciation for her renewing our recreation center memberships. It’s now #1 on my “to do” list tomorrow. Life has been crazy busy, and my memory is horrible of late, but a belated “thank you” is still a thank you.

(Update: Here's the card I made my mother in law this morning.)

So thank you, dear readers, for taking time out of your day to read my little blog. As the number climbs on the “reads” on my page, I truly appreciate all the people in my life that take a little time out of theirs for me.