Appreciation

Yesterday I heard through the grapevine, ok, my grapevine consists of two family members who like to gossip. But, nevertheless, it may be a small grapevine but it is a grapevine to me. So, I am hearing that a certain member of the family doesn't feel like he is appreciated enough for "all" the things he does. So, in my mind I was trying to think of this "all" he was talking about. This person doesn't do anything extraordinary. He goes to work, comes back, lives rent free, pays a couple of household bills and puts gas back in a car he drives occassionally for errands. I was thinking well, that is the stuff we all do and more. Then I started to think that this person is somewhat an attention craver. He is quiet for the most part but his actions say that he likes and craves attention. So, I was thinking maybe in his mind he does feel not appreciated the way he thinks he should be. After all at his job he comes back with all kinds of certificates and cards and stuff saying that they appreciate his hard work going above and beyond. I can believe that at work he really does a good job and he really does go above and beyond their expectations but in his normal home life not so much. He will do some extra things when the spirit moves him but that spirit doesn't move him very often. 

I joked with the family member who told me this and said that we should have a tinker tape parade for him. Everyone could clap and cheer for him as he is driven down the street in a special parade car with confetti and balloons and banners and posters and lots of people just happy to see him. We had a good laugh about that and thought of all the ways that appreciation could be shown to him and I guess to everyone. As crazy as a parade sounds we all do need some appreciation sometimes in our lives I guess. We all need people to say that we did a good job, and to say thank you and I appreciate what you did, I admire you for that. Even if it is something that we should be doing only because it is the right thing to do or necessary to do for survival. 

So, I have come to the conclusion that the next time I see this person I am going to say two words to him, "Thank you." Just thank you and give him a hug. I am sort of sure that he will feel appreciated in that one moment in time if not ever again. Then maybe he will appreciate someone else. Like pay the appreciation forward.