We all like
to feel genuinely appreciated. Just by
saying, “Thank you,” can fill someone’s heart.
Saying ‘thank you’ can also be expressed to others by doing acts of
purposeful kindness such as showing respect, giving credit, providing praise,
offering encouragement, pardoning mistakes or errors, and offering a gesture of
appreciation.
SHOW RESPECT
If you borrow
it – return it.
If you make a
mess – clean it.
It may be
tempting not to be self responsible.
When we do
this, are we choosing laziness over being pro-active by avoiding things we
don’t want to do?
Will you
Pause today to show respect?
GIVE CREDIT
AND PRAISE
If someone
else thought of it or did it – give
credit where credit is due.
If someone
else did a great job – give praise and recognition for their work.
It may be
tempting not to be self confident and magnanimous.
When we do
this, are we choosing the laziness of thinking, as described by Buddha, (“I
can’t do this or that,” “They’ll think less of me,” etc.), over being
pro-active in our thinking?
Will you
Pause today to give credit and praise?
PROVIDE
ENCOURAGEMENT
If someone is
struggling – give enough assistance to help but not too much to take away from
their learning.
It may be
tempting to not make another self sufficient and create dependency on us to
constantly do what they should be doing for themselves.
When we do
this, are we choosing to create bondage and debt over being willing to let go
of co-dependency and welcome independence and self sufficiency?
Will you
Pause today to provide unconditional encouragement?
PARDON
MISTAKES OR ERRORS
Who among us
is perfect?
It may be
tempting to think we are always right or that our way is the best way or the
only way. When we do this, are we
choosing to let fear and ego dictate who we are, or, are we willing to let go of
our fears and ego about ourselves and others?
Will you
Pause today to pardon mistakes, errors, minor disagreements or pettiness?
OFFER A
GESTURE OF APPRECIATION
Are you too
busy to display awareness of another’s feelings or situation?
It may be
tempting to rail road past someone else’s win or misfortune by not taking the
time to give a token of thoughtfulness.
When we do
this, are we choosing pettiness or selfishness as rulers over our lives, or, are we willing to take a
moment out of our schedule to show we
care about someone else?
Will you
Pause today to offer a gesture of appreciation?
I appreciate the
diversity of people in my life
I am grateful
for the many ways others affect my spiritual growth
Let me see
the essence of Spirit in everyone I meet
May I grow in
love for others no matter how they appear before me
Make each
moment count toward appreciation of, and for, others.
We invite you to Pause today.
Today’s
Suggested Prayer and Meditation Tool: meaning to pause® bracelet: The Ripple
Effect
http://www.mcssl.com/store/meaningtopause/catalog/search
