Karen Devaney's Blog - Posts Tagged "gratitude"
Where Have All the Thank You's Gone
Saying thank you is rapidly becoming a relic, a thing of the past, a nuisance. After all who the hell has time for frivolous gratitude’s when we are busy busy busy updating our Facebook fans, waiting for critical phone calls from clients, and pontificating the next tweet to send? Knowing how, when, where, and why to say “thank-you” will be a high-school or college elective or a required course if you are a student studying business, marketing, or communication. Children, if they are lucky, will be exposed to this art form at school if their teacher happens to be a certified “thank you” specialist. It will become a daring podium closer leaving audiences aghast that these simple out dated sentiments lingered in the air.
Really though, sliding all hyperbole aside why is uttering (let alone writing) thank-you a scarcity these days? It is a simple way to share gratitude for the little (or big) incidentals. When I hold a door for someone, allow a driver to merge in front of me, or let a person ahead in line I do expect a “thank-you” but have been sorely disappointed time and time again. I heard on the radio the other day that there are now business seminars on how to thank customers for their business such as stock thank you cards or coasters for their coffee tables. Hmmm, see there is an ulterior motive behind that kind of a thank-you that comes with a greasy sales smile that is as insincere as an atheist preacher. I like thank-you’s that are gracious and genuine; blurts if you will. And what about writing thank you? When is the last time you sent a thank you card? Perhaps I will start teaching this type of writing in my composition courses. Techie students will glare at me with unyielding disdain but I will stand firm in my quest to resurrect the thank-you.
Perhaps saying thank you has fallen out of fashion for reasons unseen like a secret plot to sabotage any demonstration of respect. Or perhaps parents are petrified or paranoid to discipline their rude little ones for fear of not being politically correct. I grew up with an Italian mother that reinforced respectfulness as if my life depended on it. I was slapped across the face many a time (during those infamous teen years) for speaking insolently. A few weeks ago I witnessed a five year old slapping his parents in a restaurant when they asked him to thank the waitress for bringing him a "special plate". These pathetic parents did nothing to scold little Johnnie for his actions other than mentioning in a half whisper “now now I can see you are feeling angry.” My mother would have beheaded me but first I would have had to say thanks!
How can this dilemma be solved, where can we seek solace for the weary desperate to hear a thank you now and again. We could form thank you groups who trudge the malls and coffee cafes revolutionaries daring to resurrect a custom that for centuries has kept societies civil towards strangers. Or maybe calling everyone out that fails to say “thank you” would bring back this dying tradition. A thank-you Facebook page may help where like minds can gain thank you’s fans and friends. Whatever it takes, I implore all of us let’s not rescind this simple symbol of politeness but rather partake in its practice on regular basis. Let's breathe in a sigh of recognition when thoughtfulness has been bestowed upon us and breathe out the wonderous words..Thank you, Gracias, Merci!
Really though, sliding all hyperbole aside why is uttering (let alone writing) thank-you a scarcity these days? It is a simple way to share gratitude for the little (or big) incidentals. When I hold a door for someone, allow a driver to merge in front of me, or let a person ahead in line I do expect a “thank-you” but have been sorely disappointed time and time again. I heard on the radio the other day that there are now business seminars on how to thank customers for their business such as stock thank you cards or coasters for their coffee tables. Hmmm, see there is an ulterior motive behind that kind of a thank-you that comes with a greasy sales smile that is as insincere as an atheist preacher. I like thank-you’s that are gracious and genuine; blurts if you will. And what about writing thank you? When is the last time you sent a thank you card? Perhaps I will start teaching this type of writing in my composition courses. Techie students will glare at me with unyielding disdain but I will stand firm in my quest to resurrect the thank-you.
Perhaps saying thank you has fallen out of fashion for reasons unseen like a secret plot to sabotage any demonstration of respect. Or perhaps parents are petrified or paranoid to discipline their rude little ones for fear of not being politically correct. I grew up with an Italian mother that reinforced respectfulness as if my life depended on it. I was slapped across the face many a time (during those infamous teen years) for speaking insolently. A few weeks ago I witnessed a five year old slapping his parents in a restaurant when they asked him to thank the waitress for bringing him a "special plate". These pathetic parents did nothing to scold little Johnnie for his actions other than mentioning in a half whisper “now now I can see you are feeling angry.” My mother would have beheaded me but first I would have had to say thanks!
How can this dilemma be solved, where can we seek solace for the weary desperate to hear a thank you now and again. We could form thank you groups who trudge the malls and coffee cafes revolutionaries daring to resurrect a custom that for centuries has kept societies civil towards strangers. Or maybe calling everyone out that fails to say “thank you” would bring back this dying tradition. A thank-you Facebook page may help where like minds can gain thank you’s fans and friends. Whatever it takes, I implore all of us let’s not rescind this simple symbol of politeness but rather partake in its practice on regular basis. Let's breathe in a sigh of recognition when thoughtfulness has been bestowed upon us and breathe out the wonderous words..Thank you, Gracias, Merci!
