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‘And what do you say…?’ Parents and guardians are invariably heard impressing upon their children the importance of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. And many dutifully respond, adding these polite expressions quite happily when making requests or receiving gifts.
Yet expressing gratitude isn’t always straightforward and often it’s only belatedly that its need becomes apparent. It might be obvious that a ‘thank you’ is required for a birthday present. But what about the teacher who quietly plants the idea of university into the mind of a talented but self-doubting teenager; the manager who puts forward a capable but unconfident staff member for a big project; the friend who listens without judgment – and without saying ‘I told you so’ – when a relationship breaks down? It might be many years before the connection between their actions and a person’s life choices becomes apparent.