Powerful Words

It's amazing this power that words contain. I know that a child who is genuinely angry thinks the words "I hate you" are full of power (I have always found it funny the first time each of my children have been brave enough to say those words to me!). Others think that "I love you" are the most powerful. For me, the most powerful words are "Thank You". I love hearing those two simple words. When combined together they convey acknowledgment of something kind that someone specifically did for that person. Sometimes those words express appreciation to a tablemate passing the green bean so the recipient didn't have to reach over the gravy (and get gravy on his/her sweater sleeve) while trying to reach the beans. Other times, the words "thank you" follow a compliment offered by a companion. "thank you" means that one has realized that another went out of his/her way, sometimes at great expense and other times at the spur of the moment, to do something to enhance or benefit the recipient in some way.

Sometimes I think the absence of "thank you" is even more powerful than when the words are expressed. Absence of "thank you" indicates selfishness and pride. The one who couldn't say "thank you" refuses to acknowledge that someone reached out or went out of his/her way to offer an act of service (large or small, it does not matter) to the other person. I don't expect to receive a "thank you" in return for every little (or big) thing I do. If I did, then I think I wouldn't value the words "thank you" as much as I do.

Christmas night, after all the hoopla was over and the boys were getting ready to head downstairs for their movie time, Nolan came and found and gave me a hug and said "Thanks for all the stuff". At "presents" time, he was too excited to say "thank you" but his enthusiasm conveyed it. At the end of the day, he found the "magic words" and his simple expression of thanks was my favorite gift of the year.