Did you pause today
To appreciate the breath
Cruising down your lungs?
Yes it is free but many out there
Are losing the chance to breath
But you can, you do; did you pause
To thank the Giver or did you not
Think it is worth appreciating?
Did you pause today
To appreciate the rendered help
Though nothing or little it seemed?
Yes, it was their job but many don’t
Care. Though kindness grows rarer
But they did and it helped, did you pause
To thank them or did you not
Think it was worth appreciating?
Gratitude is an attitude
Not dependent on where we are
On what we have or don’t.
Ingratitude robs those who don’t
Those who won’t appreciate depreciate
But life rewards those who have learned
Gratitude for the big and the small:
Gratitude appreciates those who do.
Wednesday night, I got a note from my sister and the beginning read, “I don’t know if this is right but you taught me how to appreciate every opportunity I have. I sent X this mail . . . .” She had a meeting with someone that day and had sent a brief thank you note to the person later. At the time of sending it, she wasn’t sure if it was the best thing to do given the circumstances but she just wanted to do right. She wanted to show appreciation to someone who although was doing his job, did it well. Her thoughtfulness made my night: we never go wrong when we set out to do right.
Weeks before, I had ordered quite a number of materials on Vista print for a trip. The items didn’t arrive when they should. I contacted their customer service and we had them rerouted to the city I was traveling to so I could use them for an event. Still on the day it was meant to be delivered, nothing showed up. The consequences of not having them carried heavy financial losses but I had this peace that refused to be bothered so I proceeded on the trip.
I had requested my group to pray about it and believed that God would take care of things. My business partners who had extra, gladly gave me more than I needed for the event. I continued to follow up with Vista print and it was agreed that they will have them shipped home for me only for me to get a call after I had left that it was still at the location of the event. They eventually delivered the materials days later.
Despite the consequences that God had spared me, I chose throughout the ordeal not to lose it with innocent customer service folks who were not responsible for the delays and non-deliveries. Nevertheless, when it arrived, because I have called these folks several times and some of them had done all they could even though it didn’t work, I reached out once again to confirm that it had been delivered and to say thank you for their help. Of course, I had spoken with several people during this period but it didn’t matter.
Guess what? The simple thank you call, after all the frustrations, turned in a way I didn’t expect. The person I spoke with apologised for the troubles and losses and asked me to hold on for a few minutes. When he got back on, he informed me that he just processed a refund on the cost of shipment for me. I didn’t call to ask, it wasn’t a lot compared to what I may or could have lost, yet I was grateful: blessed by that simple show of gratitude.
In our self-entitled society, appreciation, which should be a norm is now something to celebrate because it is becoming rarer to find. We are in such haste that we lose it with those we shouldn’t and forget to pause to show appreciation. Yet, again and again, life shows that gratitude is a virtue worth nurturing. I don’t recall teaching my little sister appreciation but I was mighty glad that she learned well. I am grateful that it is not a lost art in my life though sometimes I forget. I share this to encourage those who do and to remind those who don’t, that appreciation costs us nothing but the dividends are always touching, uplifting both the giver and receiver. I hope you do.
Blessings
Glory!