Happily Ever After: The Life-Changing Power of a Grateful Heart (31 page)

Knowing that I am by far not the end-all and be-all on the topic of expressing appreciation, I reached out to my virtual family and friends and asked their favorite ways to spread the love. Here are some of the standouts:

       
•
  
Jennifer Kimball: “We have a cute glass jar we keep in the kitchen. We place notes in the jar that capture little moments we have throughout the year that we are grateful for (fun day, cherished memory, etc.). On New Year’s Eve, we open the champagne and read through the notes from the year and look back with gratitude.”

Similar to jotting down my favorite part of the day, then recording them in a book that contains my kiddos’ sayings and special moments, I am a huge fan of reflecting back on the year with this idea. Thanks, Jennifer!

       
•
  
Barb Sutter: “Today we just received a gift from a person we stayed with during a vacation we took to Palm Springs. We loved a smoker they had, and lo and behold we got one in the mail. Now . . . were they thanking us for making the trip, or are they just very thoughtful friends?”

I don’t know, but regardless, I
love
the idea of thanking someone for taking the time out of their schedule to come visit you with a favorite gift from the trip!

       
•
  
Patty Borges: “Nothing says thank you like a good baked treat.”

So true, Patty. So true.

       
•
  
Brenda Perry: “My daddy loved to drive, and he drove down a certain road every day, several times a day, until his death at age eighty-seven. My husband and I decided that the best way we could show everyone how much he was appreciated by his family was to adopt the highway where he traveled. So we adopted two stretches along that road and the sign reads ‘In Loving Memory of James Graham Roberts.’”

I’m sure he smiles down on you and that sign every day, Brenda.

       
•
  
Jennifer MacNaughton Carabetta: “One of my favorites is for really good friends, when you know they are coming back from a trip, to have a dinner ready for them and some basics in their fridge. You have to have their house key to do this, but it’s the nicest thing ever to get home from traveling with kids and not have to worry about that! It’s really just a ‘thank you for being my wonderful friend!’ kind of thank-you, but you can always make a specific reason.”

Great
idea, Jennifer!

       
•
  
Samantha Higgins: “Handwritten thank-you notes and donations to charity in their honor are my top two faves.”

Definitely two of my favorites as well . . . especially the charitable donation that keeps the positivity going!

Order yourself a freshly minted batch of monogrammed stationery either through one of the websites I suggest in the “Resource-full” section or one you have used or had recommended to you. It’s a wonder what the gift of paper does and how much you’ll want to show it off.

Think of three people who have done you a kindness in the past month, pull out one of your lovely new notes, and try out your sharpened skills. And if you aren’t a stranger to the handwritten process, think outside the box about how you can express your appreciation, just as my virtual friends and family did.

Today, make it a point to say thank you to two people. Not just the standard “thanks” you give when someone holds a door open for you or hands you
your change, but go above and beyond the norm by sending someone flowers, just because, or posting a positive comment on Facebook about an employee of a local company you use and love.

As John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” That said, don’t ignore the guidelines of etiquette and forget to formally thank those who show you kindnesses, but remember that the only way to keep a grateful attitude alive is to embody it through your actions.

The Final Rose: My Thank-You Note to You

You can’t leave a footprint that lasts if you’re always walking on tiptoe.

—M
ARION
C. B
LAKEY

THE FINAL ROSE

O
VER THE PAST TEN YEARS
, I’
VE PUT MYSELF OUT THERE
for the world to watch and criticize and judge. At first it was about creating some excitement in my own life and experiencing a new adventure. As my “fifteen minutes” extended, though, my intentions turned instead to love and family and creating a happy future with the man of my dreams.

Along the way, I’ve had many extraordinary opportunities. I’ve taken a ride in the Goodyear Blimp; had Ken Paves style my hair for an
O
magazine photo shoot; pet a baby tiger being held by the Jack Hanna; played baseball with my baseball idol, Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith; been named #7 on
Maxim
’s Hot 100 list; received a few hugs from Oprah; caught a pass from legendary quarterback Doug Flutie; been photographed for a “Got Milk?” ad by David LaChapelle; and had country music star Brad Paisley serenade me and my groom as we danced our first dance to a song my new husband had written me in the form of a poem during our courtship.