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Speaking Our Thanks Out Loud
November 23, 2023
I have gratefully adopted an attitude that celebrates wrinkles and stains. I see them as indications of a life well-lived.
-Nancy Rosenow, Encouragement Every Day
-Nancy Rosenow, Encouragement Every Day
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In her powerful book Illuminating Care, Carol Garboden Murray suggests one way to highlight “the reciprocal nature of care is to look for ways to amplify thanks throughout the workday of teaching and caring.” She writes:
“As a practice of gratitude, I have tried to say Thank you more often, …being more intentional about using the person’s name and saying thank you that is specific with a descriptive phrase. I believe that modeling thanks throughout the day has a transformative power to shape cultures where people really care for one another. “Thank you, Allison, for getting the paint brushes I left in the sink cleaned.” “Thank you, Frances, for the way you wrote the parent newsletter. When you included the children’s names in the narrative it really pulled me in and I know the parents will feel the same.” “I also try to speak my thanks for non-humans aloud too. When I do this, …I like to think it puts me in a child’s mind to see the whole world as alive and caring for me, and it also models my care for the awe-inspiring world, the plants, animals, atmosphere. "Thank you, giant tree, for this cool shade!” “Ah, the warmth feels so good on my shoulders today. Thank you, sun!” “Thank you worm, for letting us hold you and observe you today. Thank you for making soil.” “Bringing the people and things I am thankful for out of my mind and into the spoken word has changed the atmosphere around me—it propels me up the continuum of emotions towards feelings of joy and belonging.” From all of us at Exchange Press, thank YOU for being part of our community – for exchanging ideas, inspiration and information on caring for and with all children in our one precious world. |
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Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsEugene, OR, United States
Francis, these are beautiful examples of the impact of connecting and sharing gratitude! Thank you, as always, for your generous and thoughtful contributions.
University of Phoenix/ Red Rocks Community College
Denver, Colorado, United States
A one point in my career I had the pleasure of directing Adams County Food Distribution program. All the workers for the program wire senior volunteers. I soon learned that managing this program REQUIRED me to provide lots of positive feedback. Every manager should have to manage a group of volunteers! But I also learned, also with my Head Start staff, that simply acknowledging and talking to them - often about non-program related issues - was very powerful. Sometimes in the morning I would visit the kitchen and talk to my cooks in German. (They were from Germany)!
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