Words Matter Week is wrapping up. I didn’t get a chance to post a blog for each day of it, but I definitely was thinking about words as I wrote, edited, and proofread all week. Through the sheer nature of my work, I’m surrounded by words on the page each day, and that makes me feel joyful. Words do certainly matter.
Expressions of Appreciation
For Day 5 (today) of Words Matter Week, NAIWE (National Association of Independent Writers & Editors) has posed this question: What word, said or unsaid, has or could change your life? How?
Obviously, there are many, many possible answers to this question. So I think of times when I’ve struggled to lift a heavy suitcase into a car trunk or, hands full, have struggled to open a door, and a stranger has said, “Here, let me help.” Those words made a difference at that particular time, often restoring my faith in humanity when I most needed it. And as trite as it may seem, I’ve also found it nice to hear “have a nice day” or even a commonplace compliment. If I’m having a bad day, those little phrases might take the edge off and make me feel better. To that end, I’m not sure there is just one word that has or could change my life. I do think, though, that phrases such as “thank you” or the verb “to appreciate” are important words. Could they change lives? Well, maybe. Think about this: Have you ever given a gift to someone and not received a simple “thank you”? How did it make you feel? On the other hand, when you have received thanks or other expressions of gratitude, that probably made you feel good (appreciated), didn’t it?
Expressing thanks, gratitude, or any sort of appreciation can mean a lot to a person. Without those words, sometimes resentment builds. Even if, in theory, we don’t do something just to get that expression of thanks, it helps to know that our actions mean something; it helps when actions are simply acknowledged by someone.
And on that note, I want to thank you for reading my blog because I appreciate when someone has taken the time to read something I’ve written. I have been participating in writing workshops for fifteen years. Reading the thoughtful comments—whether negative or positive—that someone has written about something I’ve written makes me feel content because it means someone has read what I wrote, thought about it, and formed an opinion about it. That opinion can be negative or positive—it really doesn’t matter; the result is the same: someone has read and thought about the words that I took time to think about and put to paper.
I’ve thought about gratitude a lot lately. A few months ago I started taking time each day to list things that I’m grateful for. That one little action has changed my overall outlook. Granted, sometimes it takes more than just expressing gratitude, and sometimes expressing gratitude is hard, especially if you’re facing hard times. But I’d encourage you to try it. “Gratitude” is not just a word, but it’s also a mindset. Practicing gratitude can help us feel lighter and more optimistic. In that way, it can change one’s life. Words of gratitude, words of thanks, words of appreciation: These are words that can change a person—maybe by putting a bright spot in their day. Or maybe it could affect them on a larger level, changing their whole level of optimism. Either way, those expressions are important.
Thank you for reading!
(Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull Photography)
4 Comments
Joe Artz · March 9, 2019 at 6:31 am
Some important words cause a change, others simply mark a change, and this one belongs to the latter. When I got my first chance to be a crew chief, in charge of a crew excavating archaeological sites, I naturally claimed to not be qualified. The life changing reply was, “Joe, if I didn’t think you were qualified, I wouldn’t have asked you.” No way to argue with that….
Jessica Klimesh · March 9, 2019 at 9:48 am
That’s a great example: validation! I’ve been in that situation before–feeling not qualified for something or downplaying my credentials–it’s a submissive attitude of sorts. To have someone nullify your doubt is a great feeling and can certainly change a person’s life! Thanks for reading and responding, Joe!
Shirley · March 11, 2019 at 10:27 am
Thank you is the first word that came to mind. And, after some thought, I realized that greetings are also important. “Hello” is a way of saying “I see you.” We all want to be acknowledged as being present, and to feel that our presence matters. Namaste, meaning “I bow to you”, or “the god in me recognizes to the god in you” is one of my favorite greetings. It is used to say hello and goodbye.
Recently, while traveling in Mexico, I noticed that every time a local person got on a “combi” – the shared minivans used instead of buses – they said “buenos días”. Most passengers answered in kind. To wish total strangers a “good day” is a gift we give them.
Hello, namaste, buenos días – These are all ways we say “I see you”, “you exist”, “you matter”. And, yes, such words can change a person’s life.
Jessica Klimesh · March 11, 2019 at 12:33 pm
Great observations! That acknowledgement (either of gratitude or simple acknowledgement of presence) is very important and may be something we (the general “we”) don’t necessarily think about. A lot of people do it without thinking, and some may not do it at all. But it *can* change a person’s life. Thanks for commenting!