Thank You, Not 'Thanks'
Lissa Rivera. Garrett, Indiana, 2011, From the series Absence Portraits Courtesy of ClampArt, NY
By Jenna Butler
We sprint to the train, almost miss it by a second, barely having time to grab an iced coffee before work. The rain pounds down on our umbrellas and we feel as if the world is telling us to go home. The grocery store is where we buy our fruit, that never seems to be ripe enough. Our mascara smears, our lips chap, and our hearts skip a beat because we can’t remember if we turned the stove off or not. But not today. Today is the day to stop feeling bad for yourself and start feeling grateful for everyone and everything in your life. It’s Thank You Thursday.
Be thankful your coffee spilled: it was your body’s way of telling you the extra caffeine wasn’t needed. Be thankful you missed that deadline, you needed the extra time. Be thankful you have no savings: you were thinking of dieting anyways, right? Be thankful for the scary dog who barks at you--it is his way of politely saying hello.
The word “thanks” did not always carry the same connotations. “Thanks,” embodied a different meaning back then than it does today. The Latin root of this word is ‘‘tongere,’’ which means ‘‘think.’’ The idea was that showing appreciation for others meant that you were thinking about what they’ve done for you. Over time, the word “thanks” took on the meaning of gratitude. Someone from a long time ago started saying “thanks” and because of that person we have been showing respect verbally since before any of us can remember, except New Yorkers.
When was the last time you thanked your barista? Yes, it’s their job, but so what? Think how a smile and a “thank you” could help their morning become better and sweeter. Thank You Thursday is about acknowledging everyone in our lives: those closest to us as well as those we generally forget to remember. Smile and thank your mailman, thank the person who bagged your groceries, and thank everyone who does something for you no matter how small. When you thank people, notice their faces, then notice how your mood improves. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
