Etiquette books from 50 years ago had all sorts of rules and regulations about when one must write one’s thank-you cards, and how the cards should be composed, and to whom the cards should be addressed and so on and so forth. There was a whole set of social norms around the proper and expected use of thank-you cards. These days, you’re lucky if you get a thank-you card after giving a thoughtful and expensive wedding gift, let alone after having friends over for brunch. Almost no one is making kids send thank-you notes for anything anymore. What has happened to our sense of gratitude? Are we just showing our thanks in some other way, or has generosity just been taken for granted? Do we just assume that people have to give us gifts when we get married or have a baby? Do we believe we’re entitled to a party on our birthday? Is it that we think our friends and family members owe us something? Why are we not more grateful?
Perhaps you are. Perhaps in your heart of hearts, you are truly grateful for all that you have and all that you are given and all the people who participate in your life. If so, that’s great. Now ask yourself if you are demonstrating that thankfulness appropriately. Are you letting the people whose generosity you enjoy know how much you appreciate them?
