The Slow Demise of Gratitude

I am a habitual “thank you” note writer.  I take them with me to every project and write them in my hotel room or on the plane home.  I spend this time because to me it is a VALUE driven activity.  If someone has created a business agreement with me, I want them to know I VALUE this relationship.  I often send clients small gifts that I see or that they have mentioned as being interested in.  These are usually books or maybe a movie DVD or music CD.  I also have a monthly sampler CD that features 15 songs by 15 different audiences that I send out to random clients every month.  I do this because movies and music often play a key role in my presentations and because it’s just fun.  I don’t do this to create a repeating “thank you” loop.  “Hey, thanks for the project.”  “Hey, thanks for the book.”  “Hey thanks . . . . . . . . .”  I do it because it’s important.

That being said, I am amazed at how few times anyone say’s “thanks”, for ANYTHING.  You hold the door open for someone, a gentlemanly thing to do, that doesn’t require any sign of gratitude, BUT a simple “thanks” is sure nice.  You send out something unexpected to someone and never hear a word.  A simple “thanks” would at least let you know that they received the gift.

What a shame.  Gratitude is a spectacular thing.  It makes you aware that life is still a good journey and that you are damn lucky to get another day on this spinning world.  It never takes much, just connect a feeling or thought to an action.

Hey, THANKS for reading my stuff!