Growing up I always had to write thank you notes for gifts I received. I still try and maintain the practice. I do it because I think it’s the right thing to do. Because I think sending and receiving mail, proper mail that comes to you by way of your physical, outdoor mailbox is a wonderful thing. Will Schwalbe shares a much more powerful reason for thank you notes.
What I suddenly understood is that a thank-you note isn’t the price you pay for receiving a gift, as so many children think it is, a kind of minimum tribute or toll, but an opportunity to count your blessings. And gratitude isn’t what you give in exchange for something; it’s what you feel when you are blessed – blessed to have family and friends who care about you, and who want to see you happy. Hence the joy from thanking.
This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.
