Four Missing Words ...

The sign for "thank you" is made by touching your lips with the front of the fingers of your right hand.
Your hand should be an "open-b."
Move your hand away from your face, palms upward.
Smile.
Note: If you use two hands with this sign it means you are "very" grateful.

In the Church we speak of having an "attitude of gratitude." We often offer up our prayers of "thanksgiving." And we speak of remembering to "thank God" for the many blessings we enjoy. But, having said that, I've noticed lately that we're missing four very important words in our societal vocabulary.Four words that tie directly into those grandiose theological notions, and yet are so frequently overlooked. They are four words that have somehow dropped from regular usage slowly and quietly, but their loss is significant ...

The first two are the simple words: "Thank you." ... They are frequently lacking in our day to day exchanges, particularly when it comes to those people we interact with most frequently.

How often do we really say (and mean) "thank you"? when we move through our day? Do we say "thank you" to the clerk who served us at the retail store, or the waitress who brought us our lunch or coffee? Do we thank the librarian for doing her job? Do we thank the Police Officer who pulled us over for doing her job? Do we thank the receptionist for doing her job? Do we thank the repair man for doig his job? Do we say "thank you" to our family members when they do chores, or do something for us?

We should ... it's the very least we can do ... Just because we "pay" for something, doesn't mean we shouldn't say "thank you" for a job well done.

We've gotten lazy ... we forget to say "thank you" too often. This past week I read a story by a clergy in the States who felt the absence of "thank you" following a fire at the church he once served. He went in and out of the burning building to save a variety of items, he stood with and comforted the congregants as they together watched the building burn. In that moment of crisis he went above and beyond his call - BUT - later, when the congregation gathered to begin the mourning process he listened to "thank you" after "thank you" after "thank you" being offered to innumerable people for the parts they played that day - but at no point were any of the "thank you's" directed at him ... he was just an employee ... he was the servant ... he was never thanked ... years later that omission still stings ...

I can relate to that story ... I've lived that story ... I know how much it hurts not to be thanked when you've given heart and soul to something ... I've been there ...

The uttering of two simple words: "Thank you" can make a huge difference to someone ... Have you ever noticed that when you say it in a busy check out line at a store, and really mean it, the clerk will usually smile ... I remember casually saying "thank you" to a clerk in a neighbourhood grocery store years ago, and the next time I went in, she commented on how much that meant to her that day ... she said she was having a bad day and having me smile, look her in the eye and say simply, "thank you, ------" made all the difference in the world ...

To me it was two simple words, offered to her by name ... to her it was the difference between a good day and a bad day ... It can be THAT simple. Just saying "thank you" at the right time ...

Which brings me to the next two missing words - "you're welcome."

The answer to "thank you" is NOT "no problem." The answer to "thank you" is a polite - "you're welcome."

As much as I miss hearing the words "thank you", I miss hearing the words "you're welcome" more ... When I hear someone, usually someone young, say "no problem" I want to say - "I know it wasn't a problem, it was your job, but I want you to know that I really appreciate what you're doing ... please just say - 'you're welcome' next time ..."

I want to say it. But I don't.

Like silently waiting for thanks that will never come. I smile and inside I weep at what we've lost ...

Life is good ... Life is grand ... Life is such an awesome thing ... I want to reclaim the sense of awe and wonder that goes along with it, and the best place to begin is by reclaiming the two simple words - "thank you"!!

And as we do, every once in awhile it would be nice to see us use BOTH hands when we say "thank you" and really, really mean it !!

And in case I haven't said it enough: THANK YOU !!