How Saying Thank You Makes the World Better

picture by Howie R

Thank you!  These two tiny words, with only five consonants and three vowels, are superpowers in our relationships.  They let another person know that you see them and value their contribution. 

We don’t need a relationship with another person to say, “Thank you.”  The words themselves do not require intimate knowledge about someone. They only require initiative on our part.  When we receive some service or kindness, whether it is from someone we know or don’t know, the first words from our lips should be “Thank you.”

But there’s more to it than just saying words.  The words themselves have no power.  Eye contact empowers them.  Make sure they know you see them.  Then, say “thank you.”  When you do, those two words are no longer about etiquette.  They are about gratitude.

Recently, I worked with a sales representative over the phone.  I knew the order I wanted to make and was ready to set up payment. But she wasn’t.  She took time to find out how I could get what I wanted for the cheapest price.  I thanked her over the phone and regretted that no eye contact was possible. However, when my order arrived with her name and email, I decided to take it one step further.  I wrote her to say, “Thank you.”

My husband taught me the importance of a simple 'thank you' for even the most insignificant things.  He didn’t do it by a lecture.  He just did it by example.  Whether it was for the meal I placed on the table, rearranging my laundry schedule to take care of something he needed, or taking out the trash myself instead of asking him to, he said, “Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”

I liked the way that felt—doing the unexpected, meeting an insignificant need.  I would have done it without a “Thank you,” but you can be sure, I would do it more because he noticed and was grateful.

We live in an environment surrounded by so much entitlement. We have assumed rights that are, in fact, gifts. Thank you gives us a chance to correct that in a small way.  Saying thank you helps me remember that I am not entitled to extra treatment, short waiting times, kind drivers, or pleasant people. However, when I receive it, I will at least acknowledge it with a “thank you.”

Ephesians 5:20 reminds us to “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything,” (Eph. 5:20, italics mine)  I think we’re all behind with that directive.  Everything?  Thanking God for everything would take time we don’t have.  But what if we just made new lists every day from everything God has done?  What if we tried to thank God for something new every day?  Could we ever run out of new things to add to the list?  I don’t think so.

Besides, thanking God releases something in us that makes us more grateful to the people around us.  We notice the little things more. We take our thanks to God and spread it around to the people we live or work with, as well as those who serve us.

Where are you under-producing gratitude? Where has expectation robbed someone of your “thank you”? To be seen in our world these days is a special gift.   We are numb to daily services unless they don’t happen.  We can all be more grateful.

While these two words have no monetary value,  they are rich in heart value.  They heal.  They lift loads. They ease tension.  They bring a smile.  They create connections in our disconnected world.

The next time someone performs an expected, repetitive, uninteresting service for you, look them in the eye and say with some level of feeling:  “Thank you!”  I appreciate your work, your attention to detail, your kind spirit, your joyful attitude, or something that makes “Thank you”  more than just five consonants and three vowels. 

Who will you thank today?     No other gift is necessary.  Just make your “Thank you” direct, specific, and heartfelt.  It may not turn the world around, but it could make one person’s world just a bit brighter.  Isn’t that worth the price of a simple thank you?