Showing Our Appreciation
Recently we’ve been discussing this with the kids:
Remember the people who are kind and helpful towards us.
Show our genuine appreciation to them so that they know how we are grateful for them and what they’ve done for us.
Don’t delay in expressing our gratitude.
Communicate it.
Show it.
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Avoid thinking, “I’ve ALREADY said thank you.”
Because, when we have such a mindset, we are basically saying, “I’ve said my thanks once. Isn’t that enough? Why should I express my thanks any more than that?”
Such a mindset shows how we poorly appreciate the blessings we have received from others.
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Also, avoid thinking, “But when I said thanks, he/she doesn’t respond/reply with anything. So why should I say anything to that person in the first place? Wouldn’t it be useless?”
Saying thanks and showing appreciation towards others who have been kind/helpful is OUR duty.
It’s the least that we can do.
How the other person responds/replies, is BEYOND what we can control.
Other people’s response should never determine whether or not we’d do the right thing.
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So.
Have I done all those things myself?
Far from it.
I’m still learning.
I shared with the kids:
“I have been wrong in many ways. I have not shown enough appreciation towards others who have been kind and helpful towards me/our family. I’ve just recently realised it. I need to learn to show it more, communicate it better, so that the other party knows how genuinely grateful I am for what they’ve done. I hope you learn to do this too since young. May God help us.”
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Food for thought.