A child is born. Parents teach him the language they speak. He is taught to call his father and mother. As soon as he attains the power of speech, he is taught the three golden words (as they are called) - please, sorry and thank you. He is taught to throw out a cute smile and pout ‘Thank You' whenever he receives a favor or some object from a person. A good, obedient child embeds it in his mind that he is to be thankful for every thing that he receives; he must be thankful to God, to his parents, to his teachers, to his elders and to everyone remotely connected to his well-being. The virtue of being thankful stays with him for a short period only.

As they say, one rotten potato spoils the entire bag of potatoes. The case, however, is a little distorted in the context of our discussion. Here the bag is full of rotten potatoes and one good potato is put inside it. The world is full of rude people and it becomes exceedingly demanding of the young lad to keep his manners intact in the face of mass misbehavior. Yelling and swearing is the order of the day. What does the young man do then? Darwin had provided the solution many a year ago - adapt if you want survive. That is what he does. He dispels of the words ‘Thank You' from his vocabulary and adapts by adopting the ‘grab-and-snatch' way that is convenient and consistent for all.

In his professional life, he learns to attach a ‘Thank You' in different degrees of participation. It is indifferent and formal for a favor that is not coming his way, it is hopelessly mercenary when he makes an undeserved monetary gain, and it is shameless flattery when an out-of-turn favor is what he needs. He knows and understands that a little boost to an ego and a ‘Thank You' can go a long way in cementing business ties. So he goes back to his childhood habit of saying it.

With age setting in, he cannot say ‘Thank You' anymore. The reason is very different this time. He is not being rude; he is speechless when he is granted a favor. Age makes him dependent and he can no longer feel the vitality that made him rely on his own limbs and mind rather than on anyone else. He relies on people and they disappoint him ruthlessly. When he does get an opportunity to say ‘Thank You', emotions choke his tongue and the words come out of his eyes - grateful, relieved, moist.

In his last days, he feels the true essence of the word ‘Thank You'. He learns to thank someone up there for his life, for his existence and for his soul. He prays and thanks God for giving him good, long life. This silent ‘Thank You' becomes the core of his communion with God. He feels thankful for the cool breeze, for the warm sun, for the freedom he has got, for the proximity with near and dear ones who provide the cheer in his life. He exhales his last breath thanking the world for all that it has given him.

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