Introduction
William Banks went to a black college. William’s college had a rich tradition of graduating outstanding citizens. His professors were highly respected in their fields. He had a wonderful social life, surrounded by black college football, frat parties, and late-night breakfasts at Dennys with friends. After graduating from college, William got a great paying job with many responsibilities. However, William never returned anything to the university from him. Why? He only thought about a) being cursed at by rude admissions workers, b) the number of times the financial aid office lost his loan information, c) the numerous scandals by college administrators, and d) the hassle associated with trying to graduate on time. . William never got over those negative college experiences. He never came back.
Unfortunately, our society has forgotten how to be grateful. Holidays are no exception. Many people are too busy running the rat race to say, “Thank you.” I remember sitting in a Sunday school class of young students during my college experience at the University of the South. I remember one student saying how ungrateful he had been to her parents. I also felt guilty. My parents bought me my first car when I was in high school; most of the students did not have cars. I had imagined receiving a new car. Well, I didn’t. I have an old 1973 Dodge Charger. I was disappointed. But I fell in love with that old car that I later called “The New Wave Cruisemobile”. My car was much more reliable than most cars. I remember never saying “thank you” for my car; I had also taken my parents for granted. Our society does not teach us that being grateful is a virtue.
Gratitude
Developing a spirit of gratitude separates an individual from the rest of the pack. This attribute has to do with character. Gratitude can be defined as the quality of being thankful; it is a willingness to show appreciation and return kindness. In the fast pace of industrial life, people don’t say “thank you” to anyone. Most people feel that they deserve any kind of act done for them. In fact, a selfish society creates a generation of ungrateful children. Consequently, our children grow up with this enormous expectation of social pampering. Why else a) waiters expect tips without good service, b) students expect good grades without the effort, and c) couples want great relationships without any communication. All of these unrealistic expectations make “thank you” less important.
a new attitude
It’s easy to see how people like recent college graduates can get discouraged by the current economic downturn. According to the US Department of Labor, only 47.6% of people aged 16 to 24 had a job last August. In today’s economic climate, people need a spirit of gratitude for a competitive advantage. Some young people may call this strategy too old-fashioned. Yet fools avoid wise advice. In my book Don’t Be An Old Fool: Common Sense & Gratitude, I mock popular culture for providing non-common sense solutions. In my world, I define a fool as an individual who is unwilling to listen and heed wise advice. When you show someone some gratitude after they help you, that person is likely to continue to help you or do more for you. However, if you are ungrateful, many times people will not do more for you. Here are some things you can do to help bring about this act of kindness:
1) Count your blessings one by one. Give thanks to God.
2) Tell your parents “thank you” for their support.
3) Give back financially to your university.
4) Visit previous teachers who have contributed to your good character.
5) Support high school and college alumni organizations.
6) Send a greeting card to the Sunday school teacher at your church.
7) Thank the person in your community who serves as a role model for you.
8) Thank public servants in your area (such as garbage collectors, police officers,
postmen, firefighters, etc.).
9) Acknowledge and praise previous coaches who have helped you.
10) Say something positive to your minister that contributes to your spiritual growth.
conclusion
As the economy continues to spiral down, people are looking for various ways to differentiate themselves from the competition. The holiday season is the perfect time to add a little gratitude to the character-building process. If a person is honest, he can probably think of at least one person who has helped him in some way. It’s easy to fall into the trap of looking only at the negative side of life. Can you afford to acknowledge these acts of kindness, no matter the size? Make your vacation the best! Spread your appreciation through your community. Showing a spirit of gratitude can be very rewarding and can transform a person’s situation.
© 2011 by Daryl D. Green