I just have to write about this tonight.
As many of my readers know, I Freecycle a lot of items so they can go to someone else rather than trash them.
Often times the items are brand new, still in packaging or possibly used once.
Regardless, the items I give are always in excellent condition.
Last week my teen decided to clean her room, thus I had a pile of things to get rid of.
I posted all of them on Freecycle, made arrangements for people to pick up said items.
A few people emailed back saying “Thank you”, and “appreciate the ______”
and Thank you goes out from me to those people!
A simple “Thank you” will go along way, and gratitude is appreciated.
Meanwhile, I had a guy who was coming to pick up a brand new pair of flip flops, brand new still in the package never opened voice recorder and some Jonas Bros buttons.
I had another listing for a Camp Rock Baseball cap as well; however, didn’t know the guy wanted that since he didn’t specify that.
He had emailed saying that he’d like the jonas bros stuff, flip flops, voice recorder.
So, I bag up the stuff, leave it out front for when he can pick up.
Within about 15 minutes of his picking up the items he emailed me saying
“Hi i asked for the jonas hats also what happened?”
I was almost floored!
That was all he sent in the email…just that one line.
Not a “thank you”, nothing….just him wondering why he didn’t get the hat, which he hadn’t asked for.
He asked for “jonas bros stuff” but the listing for the hat said “Camp Rock” and granted Joe Jonas is on the hat but he didn’t specify thus the hat went to another woman who did say thank you!
I didn’t even respond to this ungrateful person’s email because well honestly why bother?
If he’s already uptight and unappreciative why do I want to get into further negative conversation with him?
But, I was truly blown away by the fact that he got brand new items and yet was more concerned about the baseball hat.
I mean, okay I know Joe Jonas is a hottie, but c’mon now.
So, I guess my point here is if you’re getting something (especially something(s) that are new, free, etc.) be grateful and appreciate what you’ve been given.
A little gratitude and appreciation goes a long way and can only be a good thing, whereas, being ungrateful and not appreciating life’s gifts will bring about nothing but the same back to you.
It’s that thing…you know…”sowing and reaping”, “karma”, “what goes around comes around”…whatever you want to call it…if you don’t appreciate the ‘little’ things then how will you expect to be given the opportunity to be able to experience the ‘big things’.
A simple “thanks” will suffice, not a one liner email complaining because you didn’t get something that you didn’t even ask for.
Be grateful!
Amazing. Pembroke Pines Freecycle has more than 3,000 members. Although all are not equally active, a whole lot of them are. Anyone who is chosen to receive any offered item at any given time has to know they most likely were chosen from among a great number of responders. That alone should make one feel very grateful, and very happy to express that gratitude.
ps: Thanks for all the cool members out there–including you, Tara.
(full disclosure: I am a moderator of that group)