Someone remarked recently that she was amazed that I replied to all the birthday greetings on my facebook page.

Maybe I really am old-fashioned, but (ask me if I care if anyone calls me that!) for me, saying thank you, expressing my gratitude to people who extend love to me, is really important.

The way I see it, when someone gives you a gift, they’re handing you their love and a share of their own personal energy.

It’s no small thing, and needs to be acknowledged – not just because they did a really nice thing and I gained from it, but also on an energetic level – saying your gratefuls keeps that person from feeling slighted or even resentful.

I have several…

neices and nephews to whom I used to send gifts. Just small items, but always unique and always nice. When they were small, it was OK not to get notes from them. I was surprised their parents didn’t say anything, but I put that down to ‘too busy.’

But as they grew older and finally into their teens, I decided that if they cared so little that they couldn’t acknowledge that someone was sending them love and goodies, fooey on ’em. I felt as if I were throwing value into a black hole. So I stopped. To this day, there is only one who now communicates with me at all, and he even sends me Christams cards. I love it, and cherish each one.

A couple of months ago, I decided to fulfill the dream I’d been wanting to make manifest for years: give a box of all my books to a man who had really inspired me when I was broke, depressed and feeling worthless. I watched as he pulled himself into international fame, and thought, if he can do that, why can’t I create something of value for people and be successful at it, too? I read all his books, attended many of his calls, watched his blog for his latest updates and did the things he suggested.

As I did, I grew happier and more and more successful at doing what I wanted to do. I wrote books, gave teleclasses, created blogs with lots of information people could use to help themselves, developed an inspiring radio show…and now I am a far cry from that broke, desperate depressed woman I started out as. I felt like I owed him a big thank you.

So I gathered together all the books I have in print, added a special book I got for him because it was aligned with something he is doing and I thought he’d enjoy it. I sent it all off with a note saying how much I had appreciated his inspiration and his example. he and I do things differently, but he showed me a way I could attain a degree of success, and I did it. I felt deeply grateful.

I’ve lost track now of how long it has been since I sent that package off. I remember how he oooohed and ahhhed about a gift someone had sent him on his blog – even making a video about it. And although I really didn’t even consider he’d do anything like that for my box of books, it would have been really nice to see even a tiny note saying how he was glad he could be of inspiration to me. Even if his assistant wrote it. I was really disappointed in him.

To me, it’s a wonder that I can inspire people. I look at it as a real miracle. Here I am, a lone artist living in the middle of the ocean, 3000 miles from anything in any direction, and yet I have literally thousands of people following me and my work, and gaining inspiration and information that helps them succeed in their lives. Isn’t that incredible? It is to me!

So when people thank me, I do my best to respond. It makes my heart feel good, and theirs as well. It’s gotten now that there are too many notes to answer in person, so I always strive to say thanks in my newsletters or on facebook, because it’s so very important to me that they know I know they are there sending their love.

I suggest you do the same, because an appreciative person will stick with you through even your worst blunders as well as your highest victories. They may live halfway across the world from you, but they feel like they know you and they honestly love you. Don’t slight them. Give them back their love the best you can – that, in itself, is inspiring and uplifting.

I believe that staying human despite any level of fame you reach is paramount. We can do it, right?

What do you think? What do like to do when someone gives you something? Comments are open!

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aloha –
Angela

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© Angela Treat Lyon 2009 • All Rights Reserved • Feel free to use this article in your blog or newsletter, as long as you include this section. Thanks! Get more propserity: LittleRedTappingBooks.com