Tag Archives: Gratitude

Please! Say Thank You for What?

24 Aug

Thank-you-post-it“Excuse me sir, sir…” He sped up his pace as though I was a criminal trying to accost him. Out of breath and panting a little as I hurriedly moved up the aisle on the Regional Rail Train, I gestured with his nearly $200 monthly trail pass in my hand, “Your trail pass sir, you left your trail pass!” Finally, he turned around upon reaching the exit of the train, took the pass out of my hand and headed off of the train without a smile, a thank you or even a head nod to suggest that he was grateful for my act of kindness.

Though this was a few years ago I still can recall how upset I was. Actually, I was angry; the nerve of this man not offering me a sincere thank you! But then I thought about one of the vocabulary words I learned from my sophomore year in high school: altruism, which is the act of giving and being kind for the sake of giving, not because you expect anything in return. I can’t do things, be they small or large, expecting gratitude from others but because it is in my heart and the right thing to do.

As much as I try to embrace this line of thinking, it is not always easy to abide by it. Yes, it makes me feel good to help someone out, but it makes me feel even better when the person acknowledges it. I wonder, am I the only one who gets a little annoyed when I hold open a door for several people, and not one person says thank you. What about when there’s a lot of traffic, but I slow down to let that one car in as traffic is merging and do not get the “thank-you-for-letting-me-get-in-hand-wave?”

Sadly, I am finding that more and more people are far from gracious or do not deem it necessary to offer a thank you. Some people have the, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” mentality and choose to meet rudeness with rudeness. I understand this take, but instead I have chosen to be even more gracious and come up with ways to demonstrate it and be a shining example for my daughter and anyone with whom I may come in contact because I want her to learn that please and thank you can go a long way.

Thanks for reading 😉

All the best,

Tanya

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Thanks for Giving: Ten Things for Which I’m Grateful

24 Nov

Tanya Harris FranklinWhen is the last time that you reflected on the positive moments and people in your life?  How often do you think about all for which you are grateful?  Of course, Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and football, and for those who are familiar with the history of Thanksgiving might scoff at the idea of observing a time that eventually lead up to the demise of many natives of the land which we call the home of the free.  Nevertheless, this is also a time to express gratitude and even help those in need and show them how much they  are appreciated.

Even though I actually have been keeping a gratitude journal for the past few years, I’d like to take this time to express my gratitude and rejoice in  all that God has blessed me with to anyone who will listen (or in this case read) with a general list.

  1. Spirituality:  Not only to want a spiritual connection but to actually have a spiritual connection and relationship with God is awesome.  Sometimes there’s so much  going on in our lives that we do not stop to talk with God and try to handle everything on our own.  It’s nice to know that even when no one else is around, God is.
  2. Life: I am grateful to be alive.  Some people I know complain about life and utter the phrase, “Life’s a b***h” or “Life is hell on earth.”  But I am a fond believer that life is what you make it.  Why can’t life be a “bowl of cherries?”  I truly am grateful for all that this journey of life encompasses: The good and the bad which can be peeled back to display the good.
  3. Family and friends:  Having family and friends who support and love me and have time for me, regardless of how few or many there may be, keeps me motivated and brings happiness to my life.
  4. Love:  There were times throughout my life when I did not feel loved nor did not even think that I deserved to be loved.  However, as I matured and grew to love myself, the love that I have been receiving from others has not only lifted my spirit but made me even better at displaying my love for others.
  5. Career:  Having a career that I absolutely love and being able to have a positive impact on those with whom I come in contact is a wonderful feeling.
  6. Cognizance:  No, I do not know everything, but I am extremely grateful for the knowledge I do possess and always try my best to use that knowledge to not only improve myself but to be a positive influence on others too.
  7. Ambition:  Does ambition come from within, or is it something we are taught?  I think it could be a combination, but I certainly am glad that I am an ambitious person.  Without ambition, there is no way that I would be where I presently am in life, and I am confident that this ambition will benefit me in the years to come.
  8. Second Chances:  When it comes to certain occurrences in life, there are no do overs.  However,  I am extremely grateful for second chances and for the motivation to try again when I think about how many mistakes I have made throughout my life.
  9. Nature’s Beauty:  There are instances when I am on the go, feeling down or even in a good mood, and I stop, even if for a moment or two, to observe nature’s beauty.  To see the beautiful blue sky and fluffy clouds and the colorful foliage this time of the year is a lovely landscape view.
  10. Gratitude:  It might sound silly or a bit redundant, but I’m grateful to have so much gratitude.  There are people who really have to search their hearts and minds to think about why they should be grateful, and I am blessed  to have an bountiful list of reasons.

Please feel free to share that for which you are grateful.

All the best,

Tanya H. Franklin

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