"This I Believe"...Thank You Letters

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably noticed that I listen to National Public Radio on a pretty regular schedule. Recently, the This I Believe essay on the Bob Edwards Weekend show was all about the importance and satisfaction of writing thank you letters. I think we can all agree with the sentiments expressed by Michelle Lee. Give it a listen. Add your own notes about thank yous in the comments.

And thank you for reading,

Donovan

Comments

[Limner]

Now I am all choked up. Genuine, from-the-heart messages like Lee's resonate and make me want to do better about writing my own thank-you notes and letters. I've been inundated by mail the since March, and I haven't been as faithful to my thank-yous as I have in the past. But, if it is true that we are judged by our intentions, then I will try to write more thank-yous and take off the hair shirt, because my intentions are good. Besides, It's past beginning to chafe.

Thanks for such a lovely read.

[ana]

Thanks for sharing this story. I love "This I Believe" and I too am a loyal thank-you letter writer because I think its important to acknowledge a gift, a kindness or any other gesture. I hope more people consider the value of a thank-you note.

I must admit, every year after the holidays, I send out dozens and I can seldom recall getting one in return.

[JJalltheway]

Love, love love that essay. I had a great aunt who always insisted on receiving a thank you in the mail. She was a great gift giver and I always obliged but did consider it a bit of a chore. It didn't take me long to realise how happy it made her and that gave me the impetus to make it a habit. Now I send them out regularly. Sadly, I'd have to mimic Ana's comment and say that I rarely receive one.

[JoAnna]

Thank you for posting this. I'm a firm believer in the thank you note, and I'm constantly writing them. I loved this essay.

[Annie]

Thanks for sharing this! Even when I was little, I loved writing thank-you notes. My mom did a really good job communicating to me how and why it was important to send them, so I always found them fun to write.

I received a truly lovely thank-you note last week from my 93-year-old grandmother. In addition to offering thanks for what had been given, she talked about what she loves about me as a granddaughter. Wow. It's brought home to me the power of a thank-you note that goes beyond merely saying, "Thanks!" and touches on a more all-encompassing appreciation. It was a really special letter to receive.

[amber]

I loved this post and the article you linked to. Thanks for the great reminder! Very timely as I am still working on thank yous for Christmas gifts. I can't believe the writer's family had them finished by December 26!