The Importance of Showing Appreciation

The definition of appreciation

1. Recognition of the quality, value, significance, or magnitude of people and things.

2. A judgment or opinion, especially a favorable one.

3. An expression of gratitude.

4. Awareness or delicate perception, especially of aesthetic qualities or values.

5. A rise in value or price, especially over time.

 

I was going to write about Breastfeeding Awareness Week today, but something more significant has made me think today. Yesterday I found out that someone that I know passed away over the weekend. I didn't know them well, just a hello in passing and we spoke over the telephone on occasion, but it still made me feel sad that they had passed. They were only young, maybe a similar age to me, so it was a great shock to hear, as it is whenever you hear of somebody young dying. Everyone that I spoke to said what a lovely person they were and they too were very shocked, everyone was sad that such a nice person was no longer around.

 

Today I found out that they hadn't just died, but they had taken their own life. They had been terribly lonely in a life that didn't make them happy. The smiley, bright, cheerful person who always had a hello for you whenever they saw you was terribly depressed inside, but put on a front so that you couldn't tell. I wonder if they knew how highly people regarded them, and if they did, would it have made life just that little more bearable. Knowing that people were pleased to see their smiley face and that they were greatly appreciated, just for being around and for being them.

 

This tragedy has has made me see the importance of showing gratitude to everyone around me, and I hope that this post will make the readers see that they should show it more, or be happy that they are hopefully already making someone else feel good inside by showing them appreciation for the smallest of things.

 

RIP. God, you have a wonderful new angel and I hope they will be at peace with themselves now they are with you. Although I don't think that they knew it, they will be missed.