A Note of Thanks
A thank you note is important!
Can’t you see?
For it shows how grateful you can be.
For a visit,
a toy,
a meal,
a gift,
or more.
Thank you notes convey gratitude
and, oh, so much more.
Notes take time to write
and time to send,
going through the snail mail process
all over again.
A stamp is needed for me to let you know
my words of gratitude that I must sow.
When you get it, you will see
how polite you taught me to be.
Yes, a simple thank you note is needed
for all that you were given.
So write them now to all you know.
Your words will mean a lot to them to learn
their kindful acts did not go unbidden.
It’s graduation time. Writing and receiving thank you notes for gifts is customary. But, over the past few years, I’ve noticed less and less of this polite habit. We’ve even had some wedding gifts go unnoted! But, this year, thank you notes seem to be in vogue again. Maybe, it is due to the pandemic and inability to attend social events. I’ve considered this as a reason since we have not attended any graduation parties, nor did we host one. But, cards and gifts were still sent and received. And, thank you notes have also been sent and received. Some, I have to admit, have been very touching. They are from students I advocated for as young, gifted elementary students. I needed (personally) to acknowledge their accomplishments. In their notes, they exposed their gratitude for my support and involvement in their educational process. I found their ability to express gratitude so heartwarming! As a teacher (and a parent), it makes every effort worthwhile!
Likewise, my son has been working on his thank-you notes. He still has a few to write, but like these other students, I think he understands it is important to let those who sent good wishes and/or a gift know he is grateful for their encouragement and support.
Finally, I have a few thank you notes to write myself. Two need to go to teachers that had my son as a student in his final semester of high school and did a fabulous job when our district became virtual for the last two and a half months. I want to let them know that as a mom, I appreciated their efforts to keep the students on track and hold them to high standards. I am sure that the gratitude and encouragement as we head into another schoolyear virtually at the start, will be welcomed. And, maybe even needed!
I better do that today!
My poem is an attempt to stress the importance of this occasionally dying piece of communication. It’s not quite right, especially near the end. But, like thank you notes themselves, I hope you can “hear” my sincerity!
Today is Poetry Friday. Thank you to Nix the Comfort Zone blog for hosting!
The Apples in My Orchard 
I like your poem celebrating thank you notes. And the glimpse you’ve given us of notes given and received. We just received a wedding thank you yesterday, for a paper shredder (suggested by the groom’s mother from their Amazon list), but the bride assured us it had come in handy since they’re both working from home.
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Nice – both that you got a thank you note for your wedding gift and the assurance that they have been using it! Thanks for stopping by!
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I’m a big fan of thank you notes, especially unexpected ones. I actually just e-mailed a thank you to our state’s governor for how well she’s handled the pandemic here. Now you have me considering how much more powerful it would have been to actually mail a physical letter. There’s nothing like getting a letter in the mail and sincere thanks are always appreciated. Great topic!
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Yes! Unexpected thank you’s are the best! Thanks for stopping by and for your comments!
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Hooray for the civility of thank you notes! I love the smart and sharp rhymes in this.
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Thank you so much!
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I send them often, too, still love receiving them among the many kinds of ad mail, too. In our time with the PO being under siege, I wonder if those in power really know how much the post means to so many? Lovely post!
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Thank you! Yes, I am disturbed about the post office coming under fire as well. They generally do a very good job in our town; I hesitate to criticism them!
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Yes to thank you notes! Let’s keep the postal service alive with our gratitudes!
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That would be great! Thanks for stopping by!
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I agree! Writing and receiving thank you notes is almost a lost art. Thank you for the reminder of what a treasure they are.
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Thanks, Rose! Nice to hear from you! I am sure you are adept at writing thank you notes!
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We wrote thank you notes when young and kept the tradition but it is a lost art like rose said. I still have beautiful stationary ready to pen a note when the time is right. Thanks for the lovely poem.
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I am a sucker for beautiful stationary! I like to stock up on blank note cards and stationary type items when I have the chance! It makes me sad that it’s a lost art – it really is!
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I hear it, Ramona! I even just thanked someone sincerely on a tech support forum recently for going above and beyond, and they commented how much that meant to them and reminded them why they do what they do. (Many of those moderators in the forums are volunteers, helping out schmoes like me from the goodness of their heart.) And that wasn’t even a “real” paper thank you note. Thanks for the reminder!
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A friend of mine who is in our local Rotary group says thank someone even if you think they’ve already been thanked! It’s a good philosophy. Thanking volunteers is especailly important. Thanks for the comments!
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