Koda is teaching me a lot about gratitude and the art of the thank you. Even though she can’t speak human, her idea of saying thank you is usually to lick an eye, ear, hand or calf.
There’s a sweetness to doing something that makes your puppy happy. It truly makes me feel good to receive her grateful affection. I know also when she growls at me that she’s pissed off, so trust me, the dood can communicate.
Thank you For…
I recently did two nice deeds for different humans who I barely know and did not receive a TY, thank you, thanks or #muchappreciated. This got me thinking about the words and why they matter to me.
In my own upbringing, my mother always insisted on a thank you call and or thank you note. “I’m calling to say thank you for” or, “thanks so much for your thoughtful…”. The idea of thanking for a gift, gesture or good wish was intrinsic. Yet even the simplest words could express this. The lack of a thank you was bad manners and let’s just say, Mom did not go for this attitude at all.
I don’t do kind deeds to get a thank you in return, don’t get me wrong. My operating system runs on friendliness and the hope of attracting positive, supportive energy and then, to pay it forward. Manners are also behaviors I’ve learned, and I know not everyone has this type of input.
On paying forward, today I asked someone in Center City if she could pull up so I could park behind her. She did, and I thanked her so much.
After my brief errand, I got the chance to say thanks again. We exchanged stories about men, big cars, small parking spaces and both smiled. I took this encounter as a reward. In my mind, this young lady did me a HUGE service and I wanted her to know. I also wanted the Universe to know that none of this went unnoticed.
On exchanging smiles. A smile conveys lots of things, including gratitude. The effect of smiling on the body is a release of endorphins which counter act stress. The smile/thankyou combo is like a big yummy sandwich that is filling and has ingredients that drip down your cheek.
How Gratitude Helps
Moments like the ones I’m referring to don’t change anything per se. But they do add meaning to nurture my heart and soul. It’s the same kind of healing I get by giving the pup a belly rub and having her lick my face for five minutes afterword.
These experiences help me manage stress as well. The gratitude behind a thank you in any form also nurtures my health and wellbeing. As a result, I’d go as far as saying that learning the art of the thank you invites joy. Try it for yourself and let us know.
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