Appreciation is so important

A few months ago, one of the companies I do business with sent me a book simply titled "Thank You." It has numerous quotes inside stating different ways of extending your thanks to someone or how it feels or how it helps to do so. It is amazing how the simple words like 'thank you' or 'good job' can truely make somone feel worthwhile.

Work for the past few weeks (ok, year or so really, but lets not look at that) has been rather rough. Some co-workers and I took it upon ourselves to set some pretty awesome goals for our department. We exceeded those goals. Management knew of our goals and they were encouraging. They said nothing once we did. Not a word to anyone...except me, and the comment was more like a backhanded insult. We went through a remodel in which our dept was completely turned upside down and most days we didn't know how we were going to do our jobs. But we smiled and helped people and moved on. Again, not a word about how well we were doing. Sadly, I have been the only one to tell them they are doing great. I get nothing out of it, other then encouraging them and letting them know that I at least appreciate all they do. Its so hard to over look the power of simple words. Both the negative and positive.

"It may be in fact utterly impossible to be successful without helping another person to become successful. I don't know. But I don't think one can become liberated without liberating somebody else." ~Maya Angelou
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So quickly the scenery passes by
No longer sunny skies over
Green fields or happy clouds
Over lively populated forests
Quickly the vessel moves on
Patches of fog conceal
The growing grounds of bare sand
And sharp croppings of rocks
Those who see the vessel pass by
Yell for you to turn
To get out
To stop
But head on it continues
Ignoring where the path is headed
Momentarily you may see
What lays in the way
So you go faster to avoid it
Those outside of the vessel
Can see what will happen
And try to encourage a change
But their words are nothing
To the thrill of this ride
To the challenge of getting it right
Until you can see what they wanted to stop
You can see the cliff at the end
Dropping into nothing
But it is too late to turn
To get out
To stop
And the you find yourself
Tumbling out of control
When you could have stopped
So long ago.