A few days back I was at a prayer meeting of a relative who had passed. The deceased was popular amongst her family and friends. Quite a few people had a lot to share about the deceased’s nature, which was a clear indication of how the person had touched their lives. While listening to them, questions arose in my mind. What is the use of sharing now? Isn’t it too late? Did that person know how they felt? I wasn’t judging the people’s sharing but felt it was such a waste if the concerned person didn’t know about it when alive.
As these thoughts ran past my mind, I was reminded of some of my family members who are not alive anymore. There have been so many members I had been very fond of. I had tremendous respect for them and still continue to talk about them whenever an opportunity permits. However, did those people know what they meant to me? Maybe, some of them knew and some didn’t. Did they know the qualities I admired about them? The reason why they meant something to me? Probably not. Today, I feel, it would have made them happy to know that the care, compassion, love, support, help that they had showered on me had not gone unnoticed. They would have been happy to know that they had played a part (irrespective of how small or big) in helping me become who I am.
Each one of us has some strengths or qualities which are unique to us and worthy of being appreciated. If we make an attempt, we will be able to find at least one trait, quality, habit of most people we know. Can we try to share those with them? It would not only bring a smile on that person’s face but that smile would also make us happy. Maybe that person would get to know a quality about himself that he was not aware he possessed.
I have decided to start sharing at least one quality that I admire of each person who has touched my life, with them. I would like to go a step further and not restrict it only to close family members and friends but also those who may not be that close but I admire something about them. In this way, I would like to acknowledge their presence in my life and what it means to me. It would take a couple of months for me to reach out to every member, but it wouldn’t be so difficult if I decide to connect with just one person every day. I want to do it when that person is alive to hear it from me and I am alive to be able to express, before it is too late. I do not know how this will be received or whether it would make any difference to anyone. I feel, appreciation and acknowledgement always make people happy. This is my small effort of making a few people happy (even if for a few moments) by letting them know that they matter to me. Would you like to join me in making a few more people happy?
Appreciate this thought – reminding us to value and express our feelings while people are still with us. Even a few kind words can mean a lot.
Nice thought, Prerna
My conversations with you have always inspired me to be a better version of myself
Because you always displayed your faith in my ability to be better. Thank you
Thank you for sharing this! It’s a gentle nudge to be more intentional about appreciating the people who’ve made a difference in our lives.
Your article reminded me of a person who was important to me, but left in an untimely manner… Thankyou for writing this so beautifully….
This is an excellent thought. “Appreciate before it is too late” should be made the norm not only at home but also at workplaces and even during the commute from one location to the other. Today social media thrives on dislike and hatred. And social media is the most used to way to “connect” now. High time to turn it around.
Thank you for such a beautiful and thoughtful message. It’s a timely reminder to cherish what we have in the present.
Absolutely… appreciating someone for their good deed at that very moment makes the person happy and also inspires the person to keep doing good things in life.
Thank you Prerna
Thanks for sharing, this is so true. Life is very brief.
True Prerna, It’s a strange and a sad pattern—people hold back their kindest words until it’s too late to share them with the person who actually needed to hear them. At funerals or in tributes, suddenly everyone remembers the warmth, the cooking, the small, beautiful details… but those words would have meant so much more when the person was still here.
Great series ma’am.
Hence I would like to take a moment to say thank you. You are doing a help to the humanity to help those souls who have really lost while living this life full of quick illusions & help break it also to come out of it.
I wish a magic wand 🪄was created which could help more people to come out of their miser thoughts and just connect as a soul but many can’t as clogged. Phew
RKH
🪷🙏🏼
Super thought and inspiring msg
Really something different
This made me stop in my tracks. We take people for granted so much that appreciating them does not even occur to us.
Thank you Prerna ma’am for this insight.
Very good thought good inspiration 👌👍
It’s a wonderful initiative. Even if it only lasts for “a few moments,” those moments are the building blocks of a person’s self-worth and your relationship with them. There is a profound psychological truth in the idea that being “seen” is one of the most fundamental human needs.
It’s truly very inspiring Prerna. This is a very good thought.
This one hits close to home. I recently lost my grandfather; however, I was fortunate to have been raised by him. A man of impeccable character and integrity. It was incredible to hear the stories of people whose lives he had touched. I’m sure he would have loved to hear from everyone himself though.
Always happy to read your work, Prerna!
Truly heart-touching read ❤️ It’s a beautiful reminder of how important it is to express our feelings to the people we love before time slips away. Thank you for sharing such a powerful perspective..
True, Prerna. Let me start with you—the support you extended during my difficult time and your guidance in helping me avoid a wrong decision is truly commendable.
I love this idea! I’ll join you in letting one person per day know how amazing they are to me. I’ll start right here, right now. Prerna I have known you for almost 30 years. We live on the other side of the world from each other, yet your quiet, calm wisdom has taught me so much. I have great admiration for your kindness, caring, and compassion for others. You have an unassuming way of reaching out to others and letting them know you care, that you see them. For you, it is not an “act of kindness” but rather the whole nature of who you are.
I know that you are probably embarrassed that I broadcast this to the world but I want to celebrate you to the world!
With great admiration! Becci O
Thanks for sharing this thoughtful message Prerna. Truly need to put this in practice and not leave it till it is too late!
Very insightful.
Loved this thought of letting people know that we appreciate n admire something about them.
Totally agree with u n i beleive that offering flower to a person who passed n offering lunch after rituals for the person who’s gone makes no sense..why not we give people flowers while they are around n when they need our love n kindness to bring a big smile on their face n also treat them with what they love to eat instead of feeding people in his memory. People should start realising this n make an effort to admire them n their qualities n mostly importantly appreciate n let them know bn feel good too as u hv said.. I hope i can start doing too
Food for thought… Thank you for this reminder.. especially when we are so caught up in our lives and forget to cherish small moments with people around 💓
Thanks for a very thoughtful and inspiring message. It is sad truth of life that we appreciate people most in their absence. Why not say them when they can still hear it, we took their presence , smile, help for granted.. May we learn from this to speak love out loud while there is still time..
Thought provoking article. Kudos to you for sharing this and inspiring all of us to do the same.
Will definitely inculcate this in my day to day routine and not keep it a one time thing. Life is short and we need to ensure that we share what we feel for our near and dear ones. Who knows what happens tomorrow.