Appreciation Marketing – Thank You

This blog posting was supposed to be a “Thank You” to all those who serve this country and allow those of us who live here to be safe, well, and successful. However, I realized that the subject of “Thank You” should be expanded to everyone who does something to help everyone else. You cannot be stingy, or frugal, with your thanks.

I honor my friends, neighbors, and acquaintances who serve in the military. However I also honor those who serve their local neighborhoods, towns, counties, and states as the first responders, emergency personnel, doctors, nurses, police, and others who pitch in and help when help is needed. This may be in time of armed conflict, war, national disaster, local emergency, crime, accident, or otherwise. There are times when we just need someone and these people are there, helping and holding us up when we cannot do so.

Sometimes we don’t even know these people’s names. Sometimes we don’t even know that they were there. They are the uniformed responders, the neighbor down the street, and the stranger who just happens by where they are needed. Sometimes they are the person across the country or around the world; other times they may be the person where we are but who doesn’t speak the same language as we do. We may not even remember that they were there when we needed them, but we wouldn’t be who we are, or as well off afterwards, if it were not for their efforts.

Do you think that someone who had their dog returned to them after Katrina knew or remembers the person who saved their pet? Do you believe that the soldier who wakes up in a military hospital in Germany knows who the pilots were whose helicopter flew him to safety after a road side bombing or the ones who flew him to Germany? Does everyone involved know the firefighters who respond to building fires or the emergency technicians who respond to 911 calls? Do we know those who just listen when we are racked by sadness and loss?

It would be better if we always knew those who help us in little ways, or in larger ways which save our lives. We cannot always have this information, and we cannot always have the opportunity to thank these people personally for their efforts, even those that may involve the risk, or loss, of their own lives. There isn’t a pause that we can take when everybody shares their questions and answers as to who helped whom, when, and where. Unfortunately, that just is not possible. Remember that it doesn’t have to be possible for us to take direct action.

However we can do something. We can take the time, and not just on days like Veterans’ Day, to thank other people for what they do for us and what they do for others. I don’t mean just military veterans. I mean the firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, emergency room personnel, first responders, neighbors, friends, strangers, and people just like ourselves who reach out when someone else needs a hand, either physically, mentally, or emotionally. These are those people who are there when someone, even a stranger, needs them. They may do their job, or they may go beyond their normal duties to take a stand, help someone else, and do something for someone who needs them, often for nothing in return.

Every day, look for the people to whom you can say “Thank You”. If someone says it to you, thank them, and pass it on to others. What do you think of extending this to every day of the year? Please leave me your comments, or call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@SOC4Now.com. I guarantee your efforts will be returned to you with benefits, and that is good karma, maybe even Appreciation Marketing. Give, receive, and repeat to others.