Giving thanks: it is the premise of our Thanksgiving holiday, expressing our appreciation for the abundance of family, food, creature comforts, life. We gather around a laden table in gratitude—maybe to God, the Universe, or good fortune—for blessings bestowed upon our humble human lives.

What we don’t often do is give thanks to each other. We send greetings marking whatever winter holiday we celebrate. Wouldn’t it be even more meaningful to send messages of thanks to the family, friends, and acquaintances who make our lives better by being in it?

Words of appreciation can be such a gift. I recall many years ago sending an email message the day before Thanksgiving to my work team of 25, thanking them for consistently making me look good and expressing how fortunate I felt to work with such terrific and talented people. A few minutes later, a fairly new employee came into my office, smiling and wiping away tears. She’d never received such an email before, she said. To be appreciated, to have gratitude expressed by a boss was a new experience, and she was overwhelmed by emotion. It was such a small gesture on my part, and yet it meant the world to her.

This Thanksgiving, express your gratitude. Share words of encouragement. Tell someone you love them. Send a card to the friend who listens, to the teacher who understands your rambunctious child, the nurse who goes the extra mile to care for your parent, the grocery store manager who calls out “Hey, girl!” and makes your day a tiny bit brighter with her smile. Take a moment from your day and deliver a gift of gratitude. 

Just a few words can make a world of difference.