Hello.
When I went off to college, my mother hid a box of Thank You cards in my luggage. She was always good at finding not-so-subtle ways to remind me to be a better person and to practice etiquette. But at the time, I thought it was a personal dig at me, as if she was reminding me of her role in my graduation to adulthood. So that semester, once a week, I sent her one of those cards with a small note about how I was doing and reminding her that I was behaving myself. When I went home for Thanksgiving, I learned how I had misread her gesture.
On returning to my childhood bedroom, on my bed was another box of Thank You cards and a note that said, “While I am grateful for your correspondence, I gave you the first box so you could thank others.” And then it dawned on me. My mother was not being passive aggressive or worried that I would forget what she taught me about good manners. She was trying to teach me about the the importance of gratitude.
Gratitude is a magical, powerful thing. To be thankful to someone else, for something else is to be less self-centered, to be humble. This makes it easier for others to like and appreciate us. More importantly, it can make us less envious, less materialistic, and happier. Expressing gratitude to friends, spouses, and even strangers, humanizes the recipient and reinforces our connection to one another. Indeed, gratitude, for the big things and the small things, brings us all closer together. But don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself. Send a Thank You note to someone today and see how you feel. Bring joy to others and you will bring joy to yourself.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. May all your pies be sweet, your turkey juicy, and the people around your table as wonderful as you are.
Sincerely,
Betty
Kasini House Cards announces the launch of the Thank You Collection of cards from Studio C:
Studio C’s Collection of Thank You cards features various watercolors of fruits and flowers appropriate for any season or occasion: Peonies, lupines, hydrangeas, hyacinth, echinacea, crocus, violets, berries, and gourds. The box has ten unique cards all of which say “Thank You” on the inside. Cards come with matching envelopes. The collection is available as greeting cards and notecards. Boxes of 10 of individual titles are also available.
