“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” That quote comes directly from this month’s article “Living Gratitude,”. An editorial reminder, that a life of gratitude is an easy entry into a life filled with happiness. The other day, I heard Father Brian, of St. Mary of the Isle, say, and “Don’t you find that you are envious of the people who live their life with gratitude?” They seem to have something that we don’t.” Clearly, I can hear the Universe saying, “REMEMBER THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE.” By simply finding one thing you are thankful for each day, as the article suggests, you are setting yourself up for a different kind of day. A day that others would be envious of. Imagine the power that would be generated if all of humanity made every day a day of Thanksgiving?
“Thank you” is powerful. It holds in it gratitude and creates a space for empathy. This morning I awoke and simply reminded myself that I am thankful that I rescued our dog Gambino. The article “Rescue You, Rescue Me,” (in our Natural Pet section) illustrates how the act of rescuing a dog, in turn, may rescue you. I am grateful for that fateful decision I made.
“Thank you” holds a certain freedom. You see, I have a bad habit. If I am mad, I am mad. I tend to take things perhaps too personally, and in the end, I react. Some deep-seated fear of someone getting the last word in makes me nuts. My sister telling me she didn’t like my hair; a guy cutting me off on the road; a lady butting in line at the grocery store. Trust me, I had a few choice words for them! I imagine many of you reading this may share a similar proclivity.
Two months ago, I decided to replace those angry words with a simple “thank you.” My husband, Kevin, who knows me well, thought I couldn’t do it. I love a challenge! So, it began. If someone cuts me off, I will NOT throw a middle finger, instead I will wave and pleasantly say, “Thank you.” A car beeps at me for sitting too long at a green light? “Thank you,” I will mouth in the review mirror with a smile. Thank you is a diffuser. It is not always easy, and I am not always successful; however, when I am, it actually feels so much better.
This summer, Kevin witnessed firsthand me employing the “thank you magic” when we were riding our bikes on the boardwalk to Fire Island. A couple on the path yelled, “You know you aren’t supposed to ride on here. Jeez, don’t you know anything? Can’t you read?” Ugh, they killed my buzz. They questioned my ability to read??? I wanted to scream, “Mind your own business” (and perhaps more), instead I rang my bell and said, you guessed it, “Thank you.” The funniest part is that Kevin, who was riding behind me, saw their disappointed faces. He said it looked as if they were hoping for a nasty remark so that a heated exchange could ensue. When I thanked them, they didn’t know what to do, so they simply went on their way a bit dissatisfied, while I peddled away with a smile. In essence, that “thank you” was even more powerful than “f*** you.” Try it out, it’s fun! And, the best part for me is that I’m still getting the last word in ☺.
