I’ve just finished signing 617 Thanksgiving cards.

My own name has taken on semantic satiation.  BUT, I really became aware of the phrases we use to express gratitude:

“Thank You”

“We are grateful”

“Thanks!”

Those are all first-person statements.  “Thank You” is a truncation of “I/We Thank You.”  So even gratitude becomes about me and not you.  It’s about how I feel.

When, really, especially in a donor-centered annual fund (which isn’t annual at all), our gratitude needs to be about them . . . about the donor . . .

That’s tougher than it sounds when it’s a note on a card, but here’s a few to try:

“You’re Wonderful.”

“You are the best.”

“You made it happen.”

“We are grateful for you.”  (Still a first-person statement, but it’s about them).

“You are so thoughtful/generous/kind”

Don’t tell me how you feel, tell me about me.  It’s my favorite story.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!