Monday, April 4, 2011

Thanks for the "Thank You"

"Thankfulness and Depression are mutually exclusive."

It's amazing that in the midst of a very crazy busy time in life, I managed to find just a little time this weekend to be mildly depressed. Once I realized what was going on, I laughed at myself. Mainly I had a great weekend getting ready to plant some stuff in the yard. It was nice to work on a project that wasn't work.

But today, it's back to the fast lane. I think there were three people waiting in line all day for me to do something, help with something, answer a question or something. I love it. I love being needed and being able to help.

As arrogant as this sounds, I think that of the 6,500,000,000 people on the planet, in round numbers 6,500,000,000 of them need me or could benefit from me being in their lives. Thank God almost none of them know it. Were it not for a pretty solid track record of doing good things in people's lives that I touch, that statement would be totally inappropriately arrogant. But I can back it up with real people spanning several decades of time.

And I'm not bragging (or advertising). I honestly feel thankful. I really love doing good things in the lives of people around me, whether it's solving a computer problem, a word of encouragement, a hug ... even the occasional ass chewing is a genuine effort to help, to be of value and to impact someone's life for the better.

Today, I accomplished absolutely nothing. But it seems like all day, I helped other people accomplish whatever was on their plate to accomplish. To me, that's the definition of a really great day.

But today was even more special (or maybe I just noticed more than usual) because everyone I talked to said "Thank You". I guarantee that doesn't happen very often.

For the most part, I don't do what I do to earn the appreciation of people. I do what I do because it is who I am and what I'm about. But, today especially, it was really nice to hear a few "Thank You"s.

Thank You.