November 2025
A Thank You Note
Maybe it’s all that gratitude I’ve been practicing with a few friends that brought me to this place. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not suddenly a saint of thankfulness or a perpetually grateful person moving forward. (If you know me, you know December is my most Grinchy month. I’m so grateful I don’t have to keep a journal then…)
But the daily practice of looking around and seeing the good has been impactful. Who knew that seeing a pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded could remind me how lucky I am to have so many clothes to wear?
There were things I was thankful for, to be sure. And even places that found themselves regularly in my journal (hot showers and my bed). But what I noticed most is that my gratitude was most genuine when I was thankful for people. (I tried thanking my clean laundry basket, but apparently it fell on deaf ears).
Did you realize how many people show up for you on a regular basis? From the garbage collector who hauls away our stinky bins, to the neighbor who pauses for a quick chat while walking the dog. From the friend who texts you a meme she knows you’ll laugh at, to the family member who quietly does the chore you hate.
There are so many good people in the world. Too often the news, and even local gossip, floods my world and turns me cynical. But on the seesaw of life, the good ones definitely outweigh the bad.
As we tiptoe from November and December, I challenge all of you, my Readers, to write one thank you note. Recognize someone who performed the tiniest act with the biggest heart or someone that shows up for you again and again.
Write it on a card and send it snail mail. Or send an email. Or even a text. Don’t let the medium get in the way of the message that needs to be sent.
Thanks need to be given away. Daily and unconditionally. Because thanks are free (even if stamps aren’t).
So what are you waiting for? Send out a thank-you note today. And maybe one tomorrow. Hopefully, this will become your practice for the month of December. We could all use a little extra positivity and encouragement to get through one of the busiest, most stressful months of the year.
After all, gratitude isn’t just something we should feel on our own. It’s something meant to share.
In the meantime, I’ll check my mailbox daily. Just in case one of your thank-you notes comes my way. 😉