Reflections

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  1. Maeve

    For texting my Sudanese student’s mother every evening, with reminders of her daughter’s homework. A small thing, but my doing it consistently matters.

    2 years ago
  2. Stephanie

    I believe what I find people thank full for me is that I’m nice and friendly and caring ask I help people in there tough times and i share my stuff most of the time

    2 years ago
  3. Don Jones

    Haha, leaving…

    2 years ago
    1. Maeve

      Why?

      2 years ago
  4. Chester

    Makes me think of a training that I participated in several years ago – “Arbinger” training – felt overly simplistic and unnecessary but ultimately found it to focus on the basics that were just what my organization (and society in general these days) needed. The fundamental idea is that for any group to be effective its members had to maintain an “outward” focus – focusing on what other members needed, rather than focusing on their own needs. This contrasted with the opposing “inward” focus, which meant focusing on one’s own wants and needs. Generally I am thanked when I succeed in maintaining an outward focus – fulfilling the needs of the other. Indeed so simple, yet so important and overlooked in our present society.

    2 years ago
  5. Hot Sauce

    I’ve had people thank me for being kind to them. Right now, I am working as a substitute teacher, and I’ve had students tell me that they appreciate that I am nice to them because other substitutes have been rude or inconsiderate to them. I also have had one person tell me I saved her from suicide without knowing it.

    2 years ago
    1. Barb C

      Saving a life is huge, Hot Sauce. We don’t always know about the big effects we may have had on someone else’s life.

      2 years ago
  6. M
    Mahua Seth

    For thinking of them and helping them in times of need.

    2 years ago
  7. c
    carol

    … listening, food, hosting, suggesting, helping,. …hmm– physical needs … and social needs to be met on the road to living our inborn heritage. The need to experience appreciation, to be seen, to be valued, — hmm – universal need of humans … give and receive… reminds me of a Thanksgiving cornucopia overflowing with the fruits of our labors

    2 years ago
  8. pkr

    I get thanked often for being positive & uplifting. Friends also tell me they learn a lot from me. I am blessed in that I have had many wise, smart teachers cross my path & share knowledge & wisdom. I have always believed that it is my duty, responsibility to share this with others. I try….I sow good seeds where I can.
    Have a joy filled day All…❤️🙏

    2 years ago
  9. Brian

    Family and friends thank me for meals when we visit — I think the thank you is not only for the meal but, more importantly, also the time together. There might just be (a lot) more to a “Thank you”, depending upon the context, people involved and their shared history. Gratefulness grows with a thank you.

    2 years ago
  10. Antoinette

    I’m not sure – my kids say thanks for making them food. Today I got thanked for giving a well deserved compliment to someone.

    2 years ago
  11. Mica

    Cool! Can you give examples, Javier? 🙂

    2 years ago
    1. Mica

      Yogaville! My ex is a retired physics prof at a UC campus, and he coordinated the design and building of the LOTUS lights. They seem to be functioning nicely still, unlike the exterior, which looks pretty dreadful, in a video about Yogaville improvements that I got in an email. We had a little brick house built there, for his sabbatical when he worked on the lights. It’s the first house on the left when you go up Karuna Rd – the road to the school. It’s sold now. Our 2 kids went to the school and the preschool, and I taught science there. I have some fond memories but no plans to return. Tho I did enjoy Asokananda’s recent zoom and will probably listen to Ramananda’s zoom and Radha Metro’s about growing up in Yogaville. Om om 🙂

      2 years ago
    2. Mica

      Thank you – pachysandra is a familiar name but I don’t recognize the plant. Vinca! I hired the Yogaville school kids to plant it around the house I lived in many years ago. Lots of hydrangeas out here – I think the color variation in a single plant is due to pH changes as the flowers age and get less(?) acidic. [google: fresh flowers had a pH of 3.9; old flowers had a pH of 4.5] Thanks!

      2 years ago
  12. Barb C

    I replied to someone’s comment below and will capture it here too: This question at first made me pause. I stopped for a moment on the self-gratification it could imply to sit and think about how praiseworthy I am. Then I thought hey, it’s reminding me that other people may be grateful for things I do. Listing them would reinforce that these are things of value to others and continuing them makes the world a better place. It isn’t only our own gratefulness that counts.

    So, a few things that come to mind where I especially appreciate what’s being recognized–

    At work, I’m thanked (by some) for always raising questions about equity and justice and how we can get better, for leading change within my agency, and for being very inclusive in my leadership (within a hierarchical structure with people who aren’t used to this). I couldn’t work there if I couldn’t do these things so basically I’m thanked for being me.

    My daughters have thanked me for being the reliable parent who gave them values, love, and support, and made them care about making the world better and standing up for what they believe in. I got the same thank you from a (former) stepdaughter who continues to be a family member and that meant a lot, as we had some rough years when she was a rebellious teen.

    I get thanked for my cooking and baking–especially by my hungry husband, and by guests when we have them. That’s rare these days and I miss hosting.

    2 years ago
  13. Barb C

    That is indeed a gift you give others! We have a yard that had been very neglected and we’re slowly turning it into what we want for food production and also to make it better habitat. I took some naturescaping classes and a rain garden class and then got stuck at the plant selection stage. I need to sit down with the books I got on native plant gardening and rewatch the course videos to get traction again.

    2 years ago
  14. Butterfly

    My children have thanked me for what I taught them and how I raised them. That is all the thanks that is of any real significance to me. Friends have thanked me for my support and I am happy to support anyone I can. Everything else is general day to day politeness to me.

    2 years ago
    1. Barb C

      Being a good friend and parent are both valuable. How wonderful that you got to receive direct acknowledgement from people whose lives you have touched.

      2 years ago
      1. Butterfly

        Thank you, Barb 🙏😊

        2 years ago
  15. Laura

    For listening.
    Thank you for this question. I’ve never given it any thought before now, and it revealed something about myself that I hadn’t previously noticed — that maybe I’m a better and more frequent listener than I give myself credit for.

    2 years ago
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