The Thank You Problem

Yes, there is a problem. 

I didn't know either, until recently.

I'm a thankful kind of girl. I always have been. Maybe it is because my life has not always been peaches and sunshine, maybe it is because that is how my mom and dad are, maybe it is because I am kind underneath all of this craziness. I don't know the root of my gratefulness, but I have it and I like it and I appreciate when others share this trait. 

Problem is....some people don't know how to handle a thank you.

I'm not talking about thanking someone for a birthday or wedding gift. I love receiving those thank yous, but also understand if I do not receive one. (Unlike my sweet southern mother who says there should always be a handwritten thank you.) In fact, T has sent two gifts in the last month for friend's birthdays. No thank you card for either. Am I badmouthing them on FB? Um, no. You see, T's birthday was in January and I found these guys in my husband's briefcase in July. The thank you cards for our neighbors. Yes, I feel a little embarrassed, but now I just assume that if I did not get a thank you, their significant other probably has it at the bottom of their briefcase. 

The thank you issue becomes more of a problem depending on the recipient and I should note it is not always this way. So, I thanked the manager of a Chuck E Cheese for the customer service we received and complimented how clean the restaurant was. He was speechless. In fact, he just looked at me and then said, "Is there a but coming?" I smiled and said no. He then loosened up a bit and said they had in fact been working on it.

We were at Cracker Barrel in LaGrange after a long drive we had the best waitress in the universe~Faith. I told the manager that after a long day in the car, it was so nice to have friendly (and fast) Faith as our server. He too was shocked. After it sunk in, he thanked us for coming and said he would pass our compliment on to Faith. Of course, we had already done that. :) 

I thank our service men and women when I see them places. I mean, it's awkward sometimes, but these people are heroes to me. Even those big tough guys smile when you say, "Thanks for protecting us!" 

I know some people who don't handle thank yous very well. Thankyouitis, maybe. They simply have a thank you problem. I think they have so much negative in their life or such stress or maybe even a life of few meaningful thank yous, that they just don't know how to receive one. I've also decided that I can't/won't take this personally. 

I will go on thanking. I will thank more and hope to spread the good work of being gracious. 

@leisurecommunities

I hope you will join me! I hope you will thank someone for something specific~a colleague who helped you, a friend who called at the right moment, the barista for that perfect cup, your child's teacher (received one of those this week and made my day!,) the cafeteria worker, the mail carrier, your physician, your child. 

Spread the thank yous and let's hope it catches on so we can save those with the thank you problem....one thank you at a time!

#thankyou