Please say "thank you"

'Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom'- Marcel Proust

Is it so hard to say "thank you"?

I used to teach youth aged 16-25 years in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, how to work in an office. One of the lessons is being thankful. When someone does something for you, no matter how small, we should always say "thank you". Small gestures of appreciation create a positive work environment in which to work.

In the Cambodian culture, people are generally too shy to say "thank you" to those closest to them e.g. immediate family members. Since my students had yet to enter the workforce, my examples drew mainly from their home environment, so they could understand what was being taught. I raised this example frequently:

Me: If your mother gave you 100 riel (smallest denomination of currency), would you say "thank you"?
Students: No, of course not!
Me: If your mother gave you USD100, would you say "thank you"?
Students: (Laughter) But, we never say "thank you" to those who are close to us. The relationship is too close.
I will never understand their thinking.

"Thank you" is about as universal as the word "Coke". Everybody understands "thank you" in English regardless of whether you understand English or not. When said with a smile, these two small words warm the heart and send messages of love across cultural barriers.

As American Thanksgiving approaches, let's all build a culture of thankfulness. Two small words "thank you" mean so much.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! To the rest of the world, let's be thankful too!

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