Gracias. Merci. do jeh, daw-dyeh. Grazie. Danke sehr.
Thank you!
We learned as small children to say these words when something was done for us or when someone gave us something. We acknowledged their acts by speaking these words of appreciation.
How many times have you received something from someone without so much as briefly glancing at the giver? What about the waitress in the restaurant? The cashier in the grocery store? Something from a spouse or family member?
You know you have wordlessly received without giving back an appreciative look, let alone a simple Thank you. We easily thank someone we’re trying to impress, but after that, we can take for granted their presence/presents. Since when does showing gratitude evaporate after the initial response?
What does it cost you to show appreciation with a simple verbal expression? Not the flippant words tossed over your shoulder as you leave the room without looking back, but the kind of sincere Thank you with eyes making contact, perhaps even smiling as you speak?
Saying Thank you can be extremely powerful. It’s obvious what it does for the receiver but, did you know your expression of thanks can have a significant impact on your daily outlook and on being happy? As important to us seniors is the fact that saying thank you and being grateful creates better heart health and more disease-fighting cells in your body.
Saying these tiny two words costs nothing yet gives a mountain of goodwill and acknowledgement. Give yourself and others a jolt of recognition.
Who needs to hear thank you from you today?
Absolutely, Antonia! I always, always say thank you to everyone, for everything, regardless of how small it might be. Everybody in our family does. But then, we’re Canadian, so we have that kooky reputation for politeness to uphold, don’t we? 😉 I can’t even imagine walking away without saying thanks, it would seem totally bizarre.
Thanks for the great post!
Katie
Thanks for the Canadian perspective, Katie. Sometimes Americans are on to the next best thing before they finish the one they have; thank you often gets lost in the transition … heck, eye contact alone is a fleeting memory. Thanks also for continuing to read these posts.
If there’s one thing I learned from EST, it’s to acknowledge a job well-done, no matter how small. I try always to be genuinely polite and thankful to those who are serving me. This sense of etiquette has just about gone out the window, I’m afraid, with people tied to their phones. How many times have you seen someone go thru a line, pay for their purchases, and never even look up at the person behind the counter. So, I try to be extra nice after them, usually saying, “So, how’s your day going?” or make a little joke about something (not the rude person; that only makes it all worse). I’m not a saint, but I do try!
Part of what prompted this post, Christine, was just that: seeing someone go through the line without so much as a grunt or any lifting of the head from the laser stare on their phone. Sometimes if I say something to the person serving me they are nearly startled by my interest; it’s so unexpected. Is it too dramatic to say we’re losing the art of face-to-face communication? (That does sound like something an old person would say – ha!)
I have always tried to acknowledge the person who has provided good service to me, Bill does to. It certainly can lift his/her spirits and encourages them to continue providing good service.
I agree, Tess. There’s nothing more disheartening to an employee than to have a customer totally ignore them. Let’s let them know we appreciate their efforts by at least saying Thank you.