Every day is a good day to be grateful, but today especially. It's Sunday.
And not just because of that. Today, January 11, the world celebrates International Thank You Day. Okay, if not the whole world, then at least those who know about this day and those who are thankful.
I will not lie to you - I didn't know about this day until I heard it on a radio program this morning in the car. After the radio announcer mentioned it, they played an ABBA song, Thank You For The Music. šš¶ This song will always remind me of an elderly woman, a Norwegian lady who spent a few weeks in the hotel where I play on Sunday mornings. She was there with other elderly people under an organised well-being and rehabilitation program last year. They used to come in groups of around twenty people each time and stay for several weeks. Anyway, she used to come to me every now and then, with a heartfelt smile on her face, and these exact words are what she was telling me: thank you for the music... I used to respond to her with a thank you for listening to me and with the same sincere smile.
She was not there today, in fact, I haven't seen her since then, but she will not be forgotten by my side, probably never. Just a few words of gratitude, and people stay in our hearts forever. Isn't it powerful?
I know, it is easy to be thankful to those who are kind to us. It is easy to be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives. It is easy to say thank you in everyday situations if you are polite. No problems with that at all. The blessings that fill our lives with true joy, such as love, support, health, trust from our loved ones, from family and friends - how could we not feel grateful for all of that? The more aware we are of it, the more fulfilled our soul is.
However, what happens in difficult situations in life, in illnesses, failures, conflicts and separations, what happens when just fog is around you and the skies are covered with clouds, what happens when you need to get to the other shore but a big, cold river is in front of you and you can't swim? Are we still grateful for all of that too?
It is easy to say we are, but the real lesson lies in truly feeling it. Maybe it lies in building our bridges with firm steel arches, flexible cables and wires that hold everything together, bending and dancing to the thankful thoughts that everything is an essential piece of the structure.
To be an acrobat in the wind, rain or sun, to be swayed by the footsteps of thousands of people crossing the bridge and still remain stable, hearing the laughter and feeling their good energy, or the dark one. Isn't it also a reason to be thankful?
If these sculptures dancing on the Father Bernatek Footbridge in KrakĆ³w and made by Jerzy KÄdziora were real people, maybe they would speak up and tell what they feel and whether they heard about this International Thank You Day.
But what about you? Have you heard about this day? Do you like to say thank you to others? Has someone told you those words today?
Whatever the answer to this last question is, I want to tell you all: Thank you!
