“We can do not great things, only small things with great love.” ~ Mother Teresa

“You’re welcome” is the dance partner to “Thank you.” Think about a time you said “you’re welcome” to someone’s “thank you.” It felt like you had a “moment,” a small connection with that person, didn’t it?

A sincere “thank you” offers a pause in the discourse of an interaction with someone. The “you’re welcome” accepts the invitation for a pause and acknowledges the sincerity of the “thank you.” It feels a bit like flirtation without the insinuation of a “hook up.”

Each year during the month of May I get to work at SeaWorld, San Diego, on a fantastic show called Cirque De La Mer (you can see a live video our producer, Jeff Wilson, posted here). Every Thursday during rehearsals we have TYYW Thursdays. We have great fun with the newbies who try to guess what the heck TYYW stands for. It’s amazing how the pulse of the day shifts when people take time to pause and look each other in the eye and sincerely say, “thank you” and “you’re welcome” throughout the course of the day. It truly is magical.

We don’t need to plan a spa retreat or yoga class to reap the benefits of mindfully slowing down and breathing. A sincere “you’re welcome” takes less than a second, but the repercussions of the kindness and sincerity translate into a wee endorphin rush, which actually lasts a few seconds and in turn serves as motivation for your next random act of kindness… and so on… until you have a day filled with a self-inspired cycle of endorphins. You literally spend your day in an emotional high.

Conversely, a “Thank You” without a response or merely a “yep” or “no problem” feels like you extended your hand for a handshake and were left grasping air. The “you’re welcome” is the shake of the extended hand, the acknowledgment and completion of the original act of kindness.

For now… “Thank you for reading this musing.” … (that’s your cue… ; )

Photo by Kristina Litvjak