My daughter had a graduation party not long ago, and people generously gave her money. The polite thing for her to do now is to at the very least write thank you notes. It has been more than a week.
As I was thinking about this, I remembered my mother insisting that I write a thank you note each year for the present I received from my grandparents in another state. (Said present was always wrapped, purposely, with so much scotch tape that it was well-nigh impossible to open). I was told that it was impolite to write this thank you note at any time later than one week. Unfortunately, I wasn't very good with words, and put this off as long as possible.
Procrastination of the dreaded task soon gave way to guilt feelings, as the days slipped into one, then two, weeks. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and had to just do it.
Now as I look back on this, I think, why didn't I just think about how the other person would feel when they got my thank you note, whether it was late or not? My grandparents would probably have been happy with anything, no matter when I sent it.
And I could have thought about they would have felt if I didn't show any gratitude for their present, no matter how it was wrapped. Perhaps that would have spurred me on to say a few grateful words in a letter.
This got me to musing about the idea of considering the feelings of other people.
Parents and children sometimes have a hard time putting themselves in each other's shoes. Strangers do. Even friends do. This is why it's about impossible to judge another person; we don't know everything about their situation, or why they make the choices they do.
I will add to this as more thoughts occur to me....
