My Problem with Gratitude

I'm having the wonderful experience of being able to say, "Thank you. That was so appreciated. I am grateful," a lot these days.

Problem is, it just doesn't feel like enough.

I know I've had this discussion on this blog before, though I can't recall when or why. I had said that I feel the need to return acts of kindness in kind to the giver, that I wanted a tangible way to express how grateful I was, through a gift or a similar action, and not "just" a note. At least two people told me that expressed, heartfelt gratitude is enough; any attempt at payback or renumeration or the like missed the point and made me not a gracious recipient.

Which I totally understand and embrace when I'm the one performing the act of kindness.

But I'm receiving so much from so many these days, being engulfed in kindness and gratitude, that I'm looking for a big way to say thank you to everyone. For instance, yesterday, Mommy Goose came over to help with bus drop off and lunch, with both her kids in tow, even though Bud was threatening a cold (which seems, blessedly, to have passed). And even though I had said I had lunch makings, she came with a huge bag of goodies from TJs--"la ruse to catch meddlers" (the first word, pronounced by my maternal grandmother from Louisiana, is "lay rose" but the French seems to be la ruse, for trick or ruse; it appears in Brer Rabbit as "larroes")--and proceeded to produce all manner of fried rice and pizza, plus ginger noodles and wraps and pad thai, and cookies! All of which she left here for later use. And then she cleaned the kitchen and wiped down the stove!!!!

How do you say thank you enough? She and I talked about it. And came to the above conclusion. Again. That thank you said and meant sincerely suffices.

Thank you, Mommy Goose.

But you know, I think a blog post helps too. And so, as with the post about and for my parents, I will thank people here in addition to in person and by note, because it's one of the biggest ways I know to say thanks!!!