Day 11, Five Minute Prompt: THANKS
The Didi at the coffee shop giggles and mocks me when I thank her for my caramel latte. The taxi driver shrugs his shoulders when I hop out of his taxi with a cheerful Dhanyavaad and the handful of bills he required. Even my neighbors visibly signal their dislike for my habit of voicing gratitude. After all, aren’t neighbors supposed to look after each other?
Saying “thank you” for every little tiny thing is largely an aspect of American culture. Many times A few times, I have laughed at myself for thanking the officer who so generously gave me a speeding ticket.
In my excessive expressing of gratitude, however, the phrase has lost its meaning. I thank my husband for passing the milk, but so rarely do I say “Thank you for paying the electricity bill” (which is no small feat here) or “Thank you for helping our daughter learn to read.”
Even less do I say, “Thank you for making time for our family, or “Thank you for your faithfulness to me.” Every day, meaningless thanks roll off my tongue but the taste of these words is new and strange.
I think of the times I have felt overworked and under appreciated after a 12 hour shift with life-sucking toddlers. Arms around my waist and a “thank you” whispered in my ear turn me from stiff and sour to putty in his hands. I leave the work undone to melt into my husband’s side and wind down the day with too many words exchanged on a juice-splattered sofa.
Living the Golden Rule, I express gratitude for the sacrifices he makes. He is constantly balancing the pressures of work/ministry/family. I see his shoulders relax. As a man who relentlessly strives to excel in all areas, he needs reassurance that he’s the only one that thinks he’s dropping the ball.
Sure, he has responsibilities, and he is man enough to do them without a pat on the back. We are family, and appreciation goes without saying. But why should it?
Has “Thank You” lost its meaning in your marriage?
In what special way can you express gratitude to your spouse today?
Talk to me in the comment section!
Such an interesting observation about the overuse of polite gratitude on the more mundane things and the lack of expression for the bigger more intangible ones… much food for thought!
Food for though indeed… Something I am challenged to work on.
Here is an interesting article about how it is viewed in Indian/Nepali culture
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/06/thank-you-culture-india-america/395069/
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This is a really well written and thought provoking idea. Thank you, I will be thinking about my own expressions of gratitude a bit deeper.
Thank you, Hannah! So thankful these words could challenge you in some way. Blessings, Amber.
That was Hannah from family birdsong. Thanks for stopping by the blog.