by Jennifer Hall

Created on: January 09, 2009

There are many ways to express your gratitude to someone else. A thank you note is nice, but you can do so much more to express your thanks. You just have to be creative. Any one can say thank you in a special way, if you desire to do so.

My dad is a very sick man. He is in and out of the hospital all of the time. He does not have much longer to live. There is no way that we could send out thank you notes to everyone that had showed us such kindness and generosity whenever he gets sick or takes a turn for the worse. However, we do place one thank you note in our town's newspaper. We live in a very small town, so we are sure that most people will see it. Our friends and family know that we do this because we do not want to leave any one out. We just thank them all at once. No one really seems to mind that each individual person did not get a thank you note.

Saying thank you is so much more than just sending a card. You could try making a homemade personalized gift for the ones you wish to thank. It does not have to be big or fancy, just something special to let people know that you appreciate them. A friend of mine once stayed by my side the whole night, when my father was at the hospital, in intensive care. Having her there with me meant a lot to me. I don't know what I would have done without her that night. When my father was released from the hospital, I went out and bought a coffee cup and her favorite chocolate candy. I opened the bag of candy and put it into the cup, and then I tied a piece of ribbon on the handle. It was not very much, but she loved it. She knew that was my way of telling her thank you. She knew that I went out of my way to do something a little special for her.

You can also show your gratitude by being there for them just like they were for you in your time of need. If your friend has a loved one in the hospital, then go be with them and offer your support. Pray with them if you think that is what they need. Put them on your church's prayer list. This kindness will mean so much more than a card. I know this first hand.

In closing, don't just stop at sending a thank you card. Go that extra mile for them, just as they did for you. You will not regret it later. Say thank you in your own way, not just in a note. Life is so short. Let all of your loved ones know that they are appreciated. What ever way you choose to say thank you, I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated.

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