Appreciation

It seems we as people don't use the word appreciation as much as we should.  We get so caught up in saying the words I Love You, we forget to say 3 other useful words "I Appreciate You".  Showing appreciation for someone is an important feature in a relationship whether it's romantic or not.  We need to let the ones that we know and love how much they are appreciated.  There are a lot of things that us as men don't do as much and expect our women to do as well as vice verse.  We need to make sure that we let our significant others know that we appreciate them for the things they do.  You will be surprised how far those words go in a relationship.  It simply lets the other know that they are loved for one thing, but appreciated for the other.  You never want anyone to think that they are loved for the same things that they are appreciated for.  Loving someone is due to the way that person makes you feel, not by the things that they do.  Once you understand the difference between the two, you will understand why it's also important to tell someone how much they are appreciated as well as loved. 
My grandmother would always tell me, "People do things for you because they want to, not because they have to."  As a kid I could never fully understand what she meant until I started to do things for people myself, and that's where I started to grasp the concept of what she was saying.  When you get a chance tell the people  you love, that you appreciate what they do.  Also why you appreciate what they do.  You will notice that those people will tend to try to do more for you simply because they understand that you appreciate them for what they do.  We spend a lot of time pushing ourselves to get more and more and kick ourselves when we don't achieve it.  We need to take time to appreciate the things that we do have so we can hold on to it.  There are people that keep themselves up at night worrying about so many things, and forget to count their blessings on the things that they do have.  So many people don't have good friends, great parents, healthy kids, a home to live in, means to eat, or loving spouses.  It could be funny how a lot of us don't appreciate what we have until it's gone.  Try to figure out who you don't let know they are appreciated and make it a point to tell them soon.  Lets all start appreciating some of the great things we have already.

Appreciation can make a day - even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary. ~

  Margaret Cousins