The Value of a Thank You Note

It seems like a lifetime ago when thank you cards were a strong part of everyday life. Thank you’s were sent to show appreciation for everything from someone sending an unexpected gift to getting help with a garage sale. Over time, thank you cards only seem to be sent for shower and wedding gifts.

Why is this? Have we lost our appreciation for random acts of kindness? Do we not value the help we receive from others? Have the generations of parents following this lost tradition forgotten to teach their children the special meaning behind sending a written note of thanks?

I’d like to believe the answers to those questions are, “no.” How many times have you done something for someone and received a thank you note? When it happens, don’t you feel more appreciated? How many times have you received help from someone or a random act of kindness and sent a thank you note? When you did, didn’t you feel a great sense of gratification for expressing thanks?

Sending and receiving thank you notes has really opened my eyes to a whole new level of understanding gratitude and appreciation. Since I began diligently sending thank you’s three years ago, I’ve noticed I have been blessed with a lot more to be grateful for. It seems more people are available to offer a helping hand or favor when I need one.

For those who don’t actively write and send thank you notes via the postal system, I have a challenge for you:


Next time you receive a random act of kindness, a much-needed helping hand or any type of favor from someone send them a thank you note within one week. It doesn’t need to be long, just long enough to express yourself.

• Think about how sending this thank you note made you feel.
  
  
• Think about how appreciative the person receiving the thank you feels.
  
  
• Think about how good you would feel if someone sent you a thank you note each time you did something for them.
  

Sending a written thank you is much more personal than sending an Internet greeting. Yes, this method is quicker and more convenient than using the postal system. Yes, the majority of the sites offer free cards. Yes, the recipient will receive the thank you much quicker. BUT, that’s part of the problem!


What am I talking about?


Technology can sometimes cause a loss a appreciation, particularly in the areas of greeting cards and letter writing. How many times have you received a letter this past year? Probably once. How many times have you received an email letter containing “half-thoughts,” poor grammar and not much personality? Probably more than once per week. This same problem holds true for Internet greetings a lot of times. I’m not putting this system down, I just know from using these sites how effortless and easy it is to send them. This is what I do when I’m really pressed for time and can’t get to the store, not when I really want to show someone I care.

Remember, the thoughts expressed in this article are purely my opinion. I welcome any feedback or suggestions you’d like to offer.