Thanks A Million

How big a deal is leprosy?  Leprosy is death-in-life. It's bad enough that an infected person's body rots in place and that decayed noses and fingers fall off, but until recently people who had leprosy also had no hope of healing--and their families and friends would cast them out and not even breathe their air. Nobody could risk touching or working with a leper, and lepers were often reduced to painful beggary.  Being healed is a ticket to life. So is gratitude. 11   And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, [Jesus] passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  12   And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:  13   And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.  14   And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.  15   And one of them, when he sa...

A recent Quora post noted that when people are laid off, the most common thing HR people hear is that "This really came out of nowhere." The point of the article was that people should never consider that their job is secure and that they should always act as though their performance each day is key to continued employment, but it reminded me of this story about gratitude. It was ten days before Christmas, and an elegant Company Christmas Dinner had just wrapped up. After passing out gifts, year-end bonuses, and hearty good wishes, the company owner paid the tab and left the restaurant. Before driving away, he switched on his cellphone volume. Within minutes he received a brief call from an employee, personally thanking him for his generosity and expressing appreciation for the job which continued to provide for his family's needs. The boss hung up with a "Thanks for all you do," and a "Merry Christmas." It was a small exchange, but these little things...

In our modern, casual culture, we are not well taught to receive compliments. We worry so much about seeming proud that we often downplay our contributions and efforts when others acknowledge them. Or we hide: one of my younger sons noted when he was in high school that he was hesitant to even share his musical or educational talents, because it might make others feel badly that they didn't have the same gifts! We try so hard to avoid seeming like the ridiculously vulgar "Give Me Compliments" guy that we push them away--along with the people who try to give them. And yet people are often starved for acknowledgement: we need compliments! The reality is that there are many varied talents, and they complement one another. Without people who have the gift to appreciate, how would concerts succeed? Naturally, there are sillies and sycophants who attend to be seen, but most go with intent to be uplifted. Athletic events, lectures, art exhibitions--all need presenters, but they...

There are a lot of reminders these days about gratitude--how it makes us happier, keeps us healthier, and even helps people lose weight! This chronicles my attempt at a new years' resolution to hand-write and send (or deliver, since postage is expensive) a thousand thank you notes in 2022.  This is an average of three notes a day, or nearly twenty a week! Will I discover enough things to be grateful for--enough people to thank? I believe so, especially if I am on the watch for those who are usually overlooked: it is easy for everyone to see the onstage star, but what about the backup singers and band members, the arranger and the costume designer and the choreographer? Do we appreciate the custodian, the usher, and the program designer, who all work to make the experience wonderful? This dynamic is true in every one of life's arenas. Frankly, finding enough to be grateful for is not going to be a problem, but making time for the project might. Sometimes I have a hard time follo...