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by by Jennifer UskoskiHave you ever given a gift that you spent hours creating and fine-tuning until it was just right? Or found a beautiful card with just the right sentiment for that special person? Have you ever given these kinds of things and been disappointed when you don't receive even a word of thanks? No matter which way you choose to give a gift, it comes from the heart.
As a young child my mother made me write thank you notes to people for birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, cards, etc. Many times I thought I could be doing something better with my time. Back then I could never imagine how important a few lines of gratitude are to the person who gave me the gift. It didn't matter what was in the card, or how small the gift.
Whether the card is full of encouraging words or a hundred-dollar bill, we should be thankful that the person even remembered us and made the time to pick out a card, write on it, and stick it in the mail. Now with a 19-month-old daughter, I know that can be a daunting task!
When I was first married, I took on the task of writing down most of my husband's family's birthdays in a cute little address book so I could personally send them a birthday card. It was my way of saying, "Hey, my family thinks you're special.” Between his family and mine, and a few close friends, we had close to 35 people we wanted to bless with a card. My husband was still in college and working two jobs, so we could not afford to include a gift with the card, but nevertheless we wanted to let them know we were thinking of them on their special day.
That year only three or four people responded with a verbal or written acknowledgement of thanks for their card. Don't get me wrong, I love all of my family dearly, but it did hurt me to think that my gesture of love wasn't appreciated.
Did they not respond because my card did not contain something tangible or expensive? I may never know, but I hope not. What I do know is that after that year of faithfully sending birthday cards, I seriously thought of giving up. I mean, why take the time to do something that probably wouldn't be appreciated? The answer is because I should. Even though I was disappointed in my family's lack of response, I trudged ahead the next year. We still couldn't afford to put anything into the cards, but that wasn't the point. I had to keep going. I had to believe that my card was making a difference, touching their lives and making their day that much better. I love them and want them to know that I am thinking of them even though most times I am not with them on their big day.
Next time you receive a card or gift, let that person know how much it meant to you that they thought of you and made time for you. Sometimes we forget that a kind word, whether written or said aloud, has the power to change someone's day. And let's teach our children to show respect to others and say, "thank you.” I pray that when my daughter grows up that she too will see the importance of being thankful and showing others how much she appreciates them. Let's face it. The phrase "thank you" could stand to be used a lot more nowadays.
Jennifer Uskoski is a homemaker, mother and volleyball coach at the local Christian high school in Grants Pass, Oregon. She plans on writting a book about her life with cystic fibrosis sometime in the near future.
