My "Thankful" Lessons

I know this is about a month premature, but December is a very busy month for us and I wanted to make sure I got this posted! 

I wanted to write a blog about what I learned this year simply by using my status message to recognize someone else for a day.

Lesson #1:  I'M SELFISH

I can't tell you HOW many times I got on Facebook and just wanted to complain!!  I was upset, hurt, sick, whatever..and just wanted everyone to know about it.  I realized I had been using my status message to vent quite a bit.  Remembering my promise to use the status message to uplift others, taught me to be a more positive, encouraging person.

Lesson #2:  BEING THANKFUL IS HARD AND UNEXPRESSED GRATITUDE ISN'T GRATITUDE AT ALL.

Obviously, I didn't make it through my friend list in one year.  Why?  Because it takes effort to express gratitude.  I have spent a lot of my life feeling thankful.  I know I'm thankful for each one of you.  I learned that isn't always easy to express.  It took time to reflect on each relationship.  To meditate on what it was that I liked best about each person.  To pick the words that would be meaningful to another.  Doesn't sound hard.  Try it.  :)  But if I didn't take the time to express that in words, then no one would ever know.  So it didn't matter how much you meant to me until it was expressed.  I learned that I need to take time to make SURE people in my life know they are important to me.  People need to know.  The people in your life need to know.

Lesson #3:  SMALL GESTURES MAKE BIG DIFFERENCES

I have spent my life wanting to do something big.  I just wanted to the opportunity to do something so amazing that would be remembered for all time.  And that something had to be done better than anybody else could do it.  I just wanted to be the BEST at something - anything.  But I'm not that talented.  And I get the feeling God isn't interested in making me a star anytime soon.  But what I learned this year, is that I don't have to do anything big to make a difference.  I don't have to be the best either.  I just have to take the time to pay attention to the small details.

I wasn't sure how people would react to this little undertaking of mine.  It made me nervous.  I was surprised and blessed more than I could imagine.  I watched as by simply saying "thank you" people were brought to tears or expressed gratitude in hearing how they had made a difference in a life.  Some told me it was just what they needed to hear that day.  The ones I didn't get to, surprised me by sending messages to let me know  they were anxious "for their day" or to make sure that I was going to write about them too.  This always made me smile.  People desperately wanting to hear kind words.  I don't think people hear nice things nearly enough.  Individuals don't know if what they do or what they say makes a difference because nobody tells them.  Why do we wait for someone to die to say nice things about them?  Don't wait!!!  The people in your life want to know NOW.  They NEED to hear you tell them they are important to you.  I have been far more blessed than I ever imagined.  I started this so that I could grow as a Christian.  I wanted to be a better person.  I wanted to be less selfish.  People have been so kind this past year through all my posts.  It has been so amazing.

Lesson #4:  GRATITUDE IS CONTAGIOUS

One of my favorite things about publicly posting about how awesome someone was, was that others could add to it.  By posting the status message, it gave others an opportunity to express how they felt about that person too.  How awesome is that?  Others took on the task of going through THEIR friend lists and publicly thanking them as well.  I loved seeing that.  I loved seeing the responses. 

I've learned a lot.  I think I've grown a little.  I still have a long way to go.  I'm not done being thankful yet!  There are many more people to acknowledge.  Many more people who need to know how important they are to me.  I look forward to continuing this journey.  Don't give up on me yet!

Thank you to all who have spurred me on.  I've needed it!