Two simple words can be the difference between making someone feel appreciated or unappreciated. As our country has become more polarized, we are suffering from a simple lack of gratitude. When was the last time you said “Thank You” to someone for a simple act of kindness or service? These words can put a smile on a stranger’s face or make them feel taken for granted.
As leaders we have to work harder than others to express our sincere thanks to those whom we work with and alongside. Leading with civility, empathy and understanding is key to building strong, vibrant educational communities. We are the role models that we ask our students, faculty and staff to become. It’s that simple.
For many of us it’s the simple gestures of kindness that stand out. On a recent visit to Tucson, Arizona to visit my mother for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, I was the recipient of an incredible act of kindness. Let me explain.
My late father, Rabbi Arthur Oleisky (May his memory be a blessing) was a Conservative Rabbi of a congregation in Tucson where I grew up. One of the reasons for my recent visit was to be with my mother on the three-year anniversary of his passing. That happened to be the day before the holiday of Sukkot, the agricultural holiday of Thanksgiving. My father’s second predecessor is Sara Metz, a wonderful Rabbi. She officiated at my father’s funeral, and we’ve built a lovely relationship.
When I walked into services with my mother for the first day of Sukkot, Rabbi Metz approached me with a simple ask. She knew that I was coming to Tucson; we had texted the week prior. She asked if I would deliver the sermon on one of the first two days of the holiday.
At first I was a bit taken aback. Then she handed me several pieces of paper, and I understood. She had found a Sukkot sermon that my Father had delivered in 1984 and asked if I would read it to the congregation and share some thoughts about it.
I was incredibly moved. Rabbi Metz’s simple act of kindness during a difficult week was a beautiful way to celebrate the memory of my father.
Dad’s sermon was titled, “Two Magic Words, Sermon, Second Day of Sukkot, October 12, 1984.” By all standards, it was a very short, yet powerful sermon. The central theme had to do with ingratitude vs. gratitude.
“If you feel a flash of thankfulness, act on it before the impulse dies away.”
– Rabbi Arthur Oleisky
As I read the words, I could very clearly hear my Father saying them. Simple, eloquent, and to the point. “A basic rule in showing appreciation I have found, is this: do it now! Do it while your sense of gratitude is fresh and strong. If you feel a flash of thankfulness, act on it before the impulse dies away.” His words resonated with me, and I hope, with the congregation for which he was so very grateful.
It was an incredibly special moment to repeat the very same words that he had spoken to his congregation some 40 years earlier. What made it all the more powerful was that his topic was timeless. Now more than ever, we need to express our gratitude to those around us.
Kalix has the honor of working with many faith-based schools around the country—Catholic, Jewish, and Episcopal. Each school leans into the teaching of gratitude and the virtues of kindness. They not only lead by example but are passionate about teaching the importance of gratitude to their students.
Dad closed his sermon by saying, “If you can increase your sense of gratitude and your willingness to express it, you will make the people around you happier, and you will become a happier person yourself. There is magic in those two words – Thank You. In this season of Thanksgiving, let’s give some thought to a life lived by a sense of thankfulness. Amen”.
As I read the final paragraph of Dad’s 40-year-old sermon and watched the intensity of the congregants’ facial expressions as they listened to me, I realized just how lucky I was. Both of my parents taught me the power and importance of those two magic words, “Thank You.” For that I will be forever grateful.
