Two Little Words

There are a lot of words in the English vocabulary. I don’t know exactly how many but I know there are a lot. And everyday, we use them. Women use more than men by something like 10,000 words per day. Some words and phrases are over-utilized, like "whatever" or "you know?" Often I catch myself inserting one or the other in conversation. Others are flippantly tossed around such as "I love you." Recently, while dancing in a club at 2AM, my dance partner stopped me to tell me that he loved me after having met me only ten minutes earlier. C’mon!

But there are two little words that I don’t think we say enough. THANK YOU. When someone passes the salt around the table, we should be saying THANK YOU. If you are ushered to the front of the line, someone should be thanked. When we are given gifts, even on birthdays and Christmas when gifts are expected, THANK YOU is appropriate. It is even more appropriate after a big surprise or a small but unexpected present. If someone steps out of the way so you can get off the elevator, you should say THANK YOU. If they didn’t move, you wouldn’t be able to get out at your stop. So while common sense tells them to get out of your way, they don’t really HAVE to, so… THANK YOU.

There are many less obvious situations in which I believe a THANK YOU is not only in order but also could be a conduit for goodness and love. Not too long ago a television commercial depicted awkward situations which people escaped simply by saying THANK YOU. How much better would your work day be if once in a while someone came by and just said THANK YOU for being here today. Or, if after you experienced a particularly embarrassing moment, a THANK YOU might let you know that you aren’t the only one who has been through it. THANK YOU might be the perfect way to cap off great sex or it might be appreciated after your best friend holds your hair while you toss up your last six drinks and the toasted ravioli for dinner. Ok, I’ve gone too far but I think you get the idea.

And to all of those who have forgotten or simply neglected to say THANK YOU, I have just one thing to say to you…

YOU’RE WELCOME!