Saying “Thank You!”
February 17, 2009
Sometimes we get so busy we forget to thank the people who work with us. A few weeks ago I received a very powerful “thank you” for something I hadn’t even done yet.
Those of you who have been receiving the newsletter for a while will remember that my son and I were planning to ride in the MS-150 in September. This was a 150-mile bicycle ride to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
My son had raised over $300 from our neighbors, family, and friends, and from his friends and teachers at school. The day before the ride I received a call that got me really excited about the ride.
The call was from a woman named Kathy Smith. She explained that she had Multiple Sclerosis and that she was calling to personally thank my son and me for taking the time to ride. She said that too often the participants in the ride don’t get to see the impact their efforts have on the lives of people living with MS.
Money raised in the previous year’s ride, she explained, helped fund education and support programs that had helped her personally to understand and deal with her disease. She thanked us sincerely once again.
So whenever we got tired during the ride, we reminded ourselves of Kathy’s call and of the reason we were riding in the first place. Compared to what she was going through, our fatigue was nothing to complain about. We refocused and kept on going.
How many times do we take for granted the things that people do for us—whether at work or in our personal lives? Take time this week to identify one person whose efforts have helped you develop personally or professionally and send them a note or give them a call. I can tell you from personal experience that they will really appreciate the gesture.
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