To let someone know that you are grateful for the sacrifices they have made on your behalf is the greatest compliment one can give. We want to believe that we matter to someone, and when our work is acknowledged, we feel like we have made a difference. The words of an old song by the late and great Mrs. Mahalia Jackson state that “if I can help somebody as I travel along, then my living shall not in vain.”
As parents, teachers, friends, or spouses, we work to give others the best lives possible and help them feel that they matter to us. We sacrifice time, strength, peace of mind, and energy to extend to others a vision of themselves as capable and wonderful people. To then have them reveal their appreciation and acknowledge that they understand the sacrifices made is an extraordinary compliment. It makes one feel as if the work and time were not wasted.
I used to tell my college students that when my life ends, I hope that some of my students will feel that I helped them reach their full potential, not just from the books, but with a smile, an encouragement, and a brief word of gratitude that they came to class that day. I wanted them to know that their efforts were appreciated and that I knew that they could have chosen to miss class.
Yet, when my children tell me that they wouldn’t be where they are today if not for my sacrifices, that is the ultimate compliment. We give so much from day to day to others, if we are lucky and blessed, and to know that they are grateful for every word and deed is the greatest compliment regarding our worth and value to the universe.
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