The two magic words
October 11, 2005
By Cam Tait
We get up from a comfortable chair or sofa on the weekend and make our way to the front door. We take a quick look into the kitchen, just to make doubly sure all the dishes are done; we all know the guilty feeling of leaving a lovely dinner behind while the water is still running and the china is delicately clanking in the sink. Just before our hosts hand us our coats for the drive home, we look around the room one more time, taking in the Thanksgiving scene: the colourful dining room decorated with leaves from the backyard, and of course, the aroma of that wonderful meal, which is now fading into the evening air, soon to be gone.
We look at the people in the room. Some are the people nearest and dearest to us. Others might be friends who come every Thanksgiving for the fall celebration. There might be some new faces this year: people who, for whatever reason, don't have someone to share the day with; or people who are without their families this year so your hosts open their home to them and share the spirit of the day. And by sharing we celebrate what we have with others.
We put one arm into the sleeve of our coat, but there's no real hurry. The conversation and laughter fill the front foyer and people ask us if we really have to go - stay, won't you, for another cup of coffee? Deep down inside we know we could stay all night, but out of respect - and not to overstay our welcome - we reach for the other sleeve of our jacket. Just as we're about to leave, someone does a mad dash from the kitchen with a care package. "You forgot your piece of pumpkin pie for lunch tomorrow," they say, placing a Tupperware dish in our hand, giving it one more squeeze, reminding us how special the day was. And as we place our hand on the doorknob, turning it to make our way slowly out the door, we speak two words that come straight from our heart. They are the two words that Thanksgiving is all about - two words of gratitude for the work, the effort, the kindness, and the sharing.
Those memories may be only 12 or 14 hours old, depending when you read this, and over the weekend we were reminded how thankful we are for what we have. But should we only consider giving thanks when we're at a dinner with family or friends?
We'll encounter people and kind gestures today. The person who delivers the paper; someone who lets us in the lane we want; someone who opens the door to our office; the waitress who remembers how we enjoy our coffee just so; the person who delivers our mail; someone in our office who makes us laugh everyday - no matter how corny the joke is; a friend who sends an e-mail, out of the blue, just to say hello, and the list goes on and on. All of these people might not be sitting around our wonderful Thanksgiving table, with its elegant place settings and great feast, but they all add to our lives. And whether it is big or small, their contributions should never be overlooked.
There are two words that mean so much but are often forgotten: thank you. Let's remember them today.
Cam Tait is a sports reporter and columnist for the Edmonton Journal. He covered community investments and volunteers for 19 years. E-mail Cam at cam@charityvillage.com with thoughts, suggestions or ideas.
Opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of CharityVillage.com®.
