The Power of Thank You

Got up at 3:00 a.m. yesterday, took a cab to the Austin airport, 6:30 flight to St. Louis, drove a rental car two and a half hours in the pouring rain to teach Eclipse software to some future court reporters in Southern Illinois. Usually when it’s raining, students don’t show up, but they were there.

At the end of my class, they presented me with a thank-you card that they’d all signed and a Starbucks gift card. I’ve been doing this sort of thing at schools near and far for free for nine years, and that simple token of appreciation really stopped me in my tracks.

It’s so touching and heartwarming to be appreciated. Possibly even life-changing. I’m vowing to do better with expressing my thankfulness, because you just never know what a person is going through and what it took for them to be where they are when they’re there for you.

Thank you, John A. Logan College students and Ms. Marilyn, for teaching ME the lesson yesterday! I appreciate you.

Julie Samford