When you say “thank you”, you affirm that YOU matter

“Thank you” is the the right way to respond when someone says or does something nice for you. If said without much thought, it is simply an automatic nicety, done out of politeness, which is fine. But really, “thank you” is about expressing humility and, in a roundabout way, acknowledges that you yourself matter and are worthy of kindness offered to you.

“Thank you” is about them – about telling the person, who said or acted out of kindness towards you, that they matter, that what they did matters. This act of humility on your behalf is an act of strength, because your acknowledgement of them and what they’ve done will be appreciated because you matter to them.

“Thank you” is about you – about acknowledging that you are worth doing something good for. Someone made an effort for you because you mattered. And even (or especially) if there was no forethought or good intention, when you say “thank you” you are asserting that you are worthy of an act of kindness; it doesn’t matter what the intention was of the person with whom you’ve interacted with, by saying “thank you” you dictate that the intention was to do something good for you. And when you express your acceptance and appreciation of the person’s efforts, it affirms that your appreciation matters because what you matter.

“Thank you” is about everyone – we are all links in the chain of life, each interaction is like a little junction in a web of relationships in the ether of life. A “thank you” strengthens the connection between you and the one/s you’re thanking, and in that way, strengths the web as a whole. Even your smallest actions have a broad and powerful impact in the world, this is because you matter.

There is no pity, there is no hierarchy – your “thank you” will strengthen the person you’re thanking, your “thank you” will strengthen you and your “thank you” will strengthen the world. Your “thank you” matters when you offer it to someone or to an entity beyond; your “thank you” matters when it’s for something big and, even more, if it’s for something small; your “thank you” matters because YOU MATTER. Thank you for offering all that you can to this world.