A “Happily-Ever-After” Lesson in Saying Thank You
Last night we had friends visit us and we talked about how sometimes the more we see things, the more they become invisible. Whether it’s the beauty of a sunny fall day, the comfort of a warm bed to sleep in, or the convenience of running water, it’s easy to take many of life’s simple luxuries for granted. We often have the same challenge with relationships, and unfortunately it takes the harshness of life to remind us of how meaningful they are to us.
A few months before she passed away from pancreatic cancer, my late wife Kris was asked to speak at church about overcoming adversity. She chose not to dwell on hardship, but focused entirely on gratitude. She thanked the people who had given her what she called a “happily-ever-after” life. That talk became a written record of her love and appreciation our family will always cherish.
It also taught me about how important writing down our gratitude matters. I was reminded of this recently when going through old storage bins. I found cards and letters we’ve kept for years from friends, things we wrote to each other, and drawings from the kids. Most haven’t been reread in ages, but we’ve held onto them because they represent connection. They’re small pieces of our story.
This Thanksgiving, we invite you to write one letter of gratitude to someone important in your life.
During a season when life gets busy, a letter is one of the easiest ways to slow down and tell someone, “You matter to me.”
It doesn’t have to be long or elaborate. A few sentences can be enough:
“I’m grateful for the way you…”
“You’ve made a difference in my life by…”
“One thing I admire about you is…”
If you want a few more tips to help you craft a meaningful note, revisit Katie’s blog post “The Love Letters Kept”.
Taking a few minutes to write a gratitude letter is one of the easiest ways to strengthen your relationships and leave something meaningful behind. A short note today can become a keepsake for someone you love many years from now.
Best regards,
Corey
P.S. If capturing memories or organizing important family details is on your mind, we also have free tools you can download anytime at affairsinorder.com/free-downloads.
