As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy
How do you show your appreciation to your family?
What does that mean?
This quote is about walking the walk. It’s about doing and being, or becoming, what we say we admire. If you say you are grateful for the freedom to peaceably assemble, you are not doing a very good job of showing your gratitude if the assembly then becomes violent and you participate in that violence.
Do you think it proper to show your gratitude for an impressive healthcare system by smoking, over-eating, and drinking heavily? Or would it be more appropriate to show your gratitude by taking care of yourself a little better? Don’t say you’re grateful, then walk away from it. Say you are grateful and then show your gratitude by doing something that shows it.
Why is gratitude important?
Gratitude is the feeling we get when we are thankful for something. It usually implies that something nice has been done for us or for someone about whom we care greatly. We can express our gratitude in words, and we can express them in deeds. This quote asks us to consider that action is considered a higher, or more sincere, way of showing gratitude.
By uttering words, we express our gratitude and appreciation for what has been done. To the person or people who did the deed, it is usually more than is necessary, but a very pleasant form of recognition. But if you really want to make them glad they did something, take action yourself. Not necessarily by doing something for them (although that is appreciated), but to help them continue their mission, or support it in some manner.
Where can I apply this in my life?
In the past, I have tried to show my gratitude for friends and family who were deceased by dedicating part of my life to them. A buddy of mine from grade school died in a motorcycle wreck after High School. Later in my life, I spent nearly a decade working with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to help others become more skilled and more aware of the dangers, and (hopefully) be safe and successful riders.
What are you grateful for? Grab some paper and write down a dozen (or more) things you are grateful for. For each, write down a few things you can do to show your gratitude, either by doing something to further promote it, or to help others better understand it. Do you have other ideas about how to show your gratitude? Write those down as well.
Take a moment and look through the list. Do you feel the warmth of gratitude swelling inside yourself? I know that I did as I came up with my list. Now look at your ideas for how to show your gratitude. Which of them jump out at you, which ones are begging you to do them? Select one for now, you can always come back and do another one later.
A quick aside for those of you who’s work is words, I’m not trying to slight you. In your case, action may very well be words. If you’re an author, writing a book about the thing you are grateful for would count as action to me. If you’re a public speaker, inspiring others with your words would count as action as well. I just wanted to be clear about that.
Take a look at the idea you selected. Take a moment and do a bit of brainstorming. Come up with a couple of different ways to make your idea happen. Select the one that seems to fit best with you and your situation. What actions can you take to bring this show of gratitude to life?
If you’re grateful for the troops, there are dozens, if not hundreds of organizations that help support our troops abroad, their dependents at home, and the troops when they get back. Injured vets need our actions of gratitude even more, and there are plenty of ways to help, including doing volunteer work and donations.
You don’t have to start something from scratch, you can help any of these groups in any number of ways. Even something as small as a cash donation means a lot. You are taking action, the skipping of a meal out, and giving that money to show your gratitude. That works for me, does it seem a worthy action to you?
To me, it all boils down to this short phrase: Action, not words. What action can you take to show your gratitude? What will you do to show your gratitude? Talk is cheap, right?
From: Twitter, @keithcook12
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnfkenn105511.html
Photo by pipitdapo
