Recently in speaking with friends, I could perceive and value more of how much a “please” and a “Thank you very much” produces in the life of the other.
Among the themes of the conversation some were saying that the thing that was most bothering was someone asking a favor and not saying please and not saying thank you.
It was the first time that I realized how many times all of us and even I in our day by day and with the rush can forget. Not through lack of education for we know that this is the base of education, but how many times in a hurry do we say these words?
Once very late in an occasional conversation someone said to me with a pain that he would like to help people but they are not grateful.
One of the many forms that exist of showing love with the neighbor is through giving thanks. And in the most simple things in our day to day.
Thank you very much for going to the front of the line of the supermarket, for some information that we request, for strength, for effort, for a doing a favor, or even the dedication with which it was done…
The other that we may or may not recognize aross all our history is filled with challenges and contradictions, some more than others and our simple gesture of gratitude made with love will make the other feel even if may be for moments, a valued person and with more hope to face challenges. If we join this with a sincere and true smile we can bring the person in question to feel the love of God in the simple gesture.
and if during her day of turbulence and trouble and lack of care and of attention . . . she can remember the gratefulness done to her with such love as if she was given a treasure. . .
In the same way that we are invited to be grateful one for the other, we may also be grateful to God. For all the marvels that He has realized in our lives.
All these great things! One more visible than the other but all them for our good and for our edification, in order that we may become each day better persons.
Today we are invited to be more grateful in little things.
Think which motive for which you want today to be thankful to God.
Thank you Lord for the gift of my life, for I exist, for family, for projects that I created, for having a place to sleep, for person that you put in my road that help to guide my steps, for sun that heats my days, for rain that is so needed
For all this and much more we try to be more grateful, may we practice the good, spread love all through our holiness.
Joana Costa
Collaborator of the Canção Nova Community in Portugal