On Acknowledgement

Thank you for the response, Geeta. To "soothe years of unrest." So well put. It reminded me of some couples in our extended family where the man or the woman had been difficult to live with all their lives. The erring person would not acknowledge his/her difficult nature even after decades, but other relatives would provide it by saying, "Only x/y could put up with you, anyone else would have left you long ago."

Exactly. Do not take a person's goodness as your birthright. I will stop here or it will become another snippet "taking the goodness of others as your birthright". And it wouldn't be limited to the usual suspects in-laws taking DIL for granted.

Thank you joylokhi. I was reading some blogs on the history of the Indian postal service and came across the first acknowledgement due card and how they have changed over the 150+ years. Often the postman himself helps the recipient to fill or sign the AD card. It struck me that often this is what human beings crave from their family and friends.

 

Thank you Ma'am. Thank you for the response and for the anecdote and so many observations that touch the heart or open our eyes.

It is a notion not that well covered, and also, there is tendency to look down upon those who seek acknowledgement of any kind. Those seeking acknowledgement can be viewed as petty, keeping score, not able to take the high road, or not having a big heart or not being forgiving enough.

This was one thing I tried to include in the snippet but could not find the right words and so used examples like child with homework, stay-at-home-mom, etc. You have said it well: "when a person acknowledges his/her weakness of irritable character... that the irritable behavior has really been part of him/her....."

 

Thyagi, thank you for the response.

Your posts and responses are always unique. : ) And I always look to see how you will invoke God at the end of almost each of your posts.

Thank you Afresh. It is indeed universal. I sometimes wonder if an acknowledgement is easier to give, and of a finer/higher level in human interaction than an apology? Acknowledgement is lighter than an apology... That is a compare and contrast for another day.

Thank you for nominating the snippet for FP. Truth be told, I wrote it some weeks ago. It had a 'heavy' and 'dark' tone to it, I thought, so didn't post. Then, life happened last weekend, and I acknowledged to the better half, as I often do, that he is a saint and I am a rhymes-with-brew and how difficult it must be to live with me. He usually doesn't respond, but this time said, "So why don't you try to change the brew-ness?" I was suitably aghast and astounded at the suggestion and said, "But why would I! Take the compliment, be happy. Don't push your luck." : )

And then dug it up from the drafts and posted it.

 

True. The most taking for granted happens in the closest relationships. There should be no need to keep thanking in such relationships, but, an occasional or periodic acknowledgement does make the heart feel so much lighter and happier.

Thank you Mistt. Spring is the season.. I hope to acknowledge nature's gifts to us with more use of the camera. : )

Yes. Lady who cooks wants a little acknowledgment. A little attention to the trouble she went to, and finding something specific to mention... I actually do a little experimenting sometimes. Do people appreciate compliment more or an acknowledgement of their trouble, effort, toil, more. If a person's job keeps them standing all day, or if a person's job needs lot of patience, noticing that makes them feel more valued.