Never too late for Thank You (Jan. 30)

DEBBIE NORRELL

Unfortunately some people seem to think that thankyou notes are out of style right along with transistor radios and skate keys, but I don’t think so. I still keep a supply of hard copy thank you notes and stationary on hand. Perhaps it’s because of my age or what I was raised to do. I like letting someone know how their gift made me feel and if it was something that was mailed to me I surely want to let them know that I received it. I also continue to send Christmas cards and birthday cards and sometimes I might drop a Halloween card or Valentine in the mail. I keep a selection of New Year’s cards to send when I forget to send a Christmas card.
I have always thought that it is never too late to say “thank you” but the person who is waiting for the thank you or wondering if you got that gift probably doesn’t agree. During my recent illness I received flowers, fruit baskets, balloons, cards, food and cookies. I was so grateful that people were thinking of me and I hope I gave all of them a proper thank you.
The biggest surprise of them all was an email that I almost ignored. It came from someone that I did not know but the subject line led me to believe that this is an email that I did not want to ignore. I opened it and it was from a kind lady that reads this column. She read in many of my past columns that I collect Black Santas and she wanted to give her collection to me. I thought I was dreaming—how could she part with her collection? She gave me a phone number and of course her email. I called and we connected. Once we met I asked her several times did she want to reconsider and keep the Black Santa Claus collection that also included some very unique angels. She said no. After a nice visit over coffee and pastry and a proper introduction to each Santa we packed them in boxes and put them in my car. I brought them to my house to meet their new Santa family.
I still can’t get over that someone would give me what I consider to be a prized collection. I have not written that official thank you note and every day I beat myself up about it. The thank you note is now in the mail and I hope she still reads me in the New Pittsburgh Courier and knows how grateful I was to be thought of in such an enormous way. Her name has not been mentioned to protect her privacy but I wanted to share publicly how touched I was by the gesture. I still can’t get over it and promise to pay it forward. At some point I’m sure I will no longer have the space for my Santas. I hope I will find a good home for the expanded collection.
(Email Debbie at debbienorrell@aol.com.)
 
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