Saying, “Thanks” · 17 December 2022
Sometimes we just need to say, “Thank you.”
I started writing this blog post with the thought of needing a new reply to the greeting: “Have a nice day.” I used to always say, “Thanks. I will.” Which is a force of will thing. A choice. I choose to have a nice day. I will make it a nice day. The problem with that response is not the thought behind it though. The problem is that I have used it for too long.
Now, there is nothing wrong with having a set routine. We all have set routines in life. Or most of us do. And there is nothing wrong with them. Usually. But sometimes, you just need to shake things up a bit. Or tone them down. I am not sure which thing I have been trying to do with changing my response.
My new response to “Have a nice day,” has just been, “Thanks.” Oh sure, sometimes I say to myself, “I will,” but usually I just let the single word do its job. And that is good. Thanking people for greeting you is a good thing. One of the best and most polite things to do. Which is reason enough to just leave it at that. And so I do. Or at least I have been.
I think it is one of the most useful lessons on manners to just say thank you. We often think that demurring or deflecting is the thing to do when people compliment us, but just saying, “Thanks” or “Thank you” is always a great response. There is no need to say anything else. Not even a return compliment.
In fact, I can imagine a strange conversation of dueling compliments.
“That is such a beautiful sweater.”
“Why thank you. Yours is beautiful too. Just the perfect color.”
“Thanks. Now that you mention it, your whole outfit is just perfect.”
“Thanks. I love your new hairdo.”
“Thank you for noticing. I love those new shoes of yours too.”
And so on and so on. I know. Silly. But as silly as the fictional conversation sounds, we can sometimes go overboard on return compliments. You do not always need to return the compliment. You can just say, “Thank you.”
Now, I know it is a little different when greeting people. We do not always expect a hello, but we usually expect them to at least grunt back.
“Have a nice day.”
…
“What? Not even a grunt?”
Oh wait. I think that grunting thing is for responses for texts and other communications from your kids. Which by the way, sometimes you need to ask them for that minimum grunt. And it is funny when they actually give you just a grunt. Of course, spelling “grunt” on a phone as a reply text does take some work. Five whole letters.
Oops. I think I may have strayed from the topic at hand. Thanks for reminding me.
At any rate.
I hope that clears things up about greetings and thanks. Yes. You should respond when somebody greets you. No. You do not need to give return compliments. Yes. You should say thank you when somebody wishes you a great day. No. You do not need to say that yes, you will indeed choose to have a wonderful, fantastic, outstanding, great day. Yes. You should stay on topic when you write. No. I do not always do so.
I hope you have a great day. I know I will.
© 2022 Michael T. Miyoshi
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