Gratitude challenge

This challenge comes a few days before Thanksgiving...coincidence? I think not.

I few days ago Liam got a cold. He began coughing a nasty cough, so I kept him home from school. Four days into keeping him home from school I got a call from the school nurse. She told me that I needed to go get Liam checked for whooping cough. When I got off the phone with her I began thinking about what I knew about whooping cough. I had read about it several times, but I decided to get out my books and read about again and then research on the internet and see what it had to say about it. I was/am positive that he did not have whooping cough. I made a few calls to a few other medical-savvy friends and they agreed with me, that Liam did not have any of the symptoms except for a cough.
That's when I became frustrated. I thought, How can his school tell me what to do with my child? I knew it wasn't whopping cough and I wasn't going to spend the money, I didn't have, so the school knew it wasn't. I had made up my mind.
...I didn't sleep well that night. I knew, if I didn't call, the school nurse would be calling me in the morning and I wasn't excited (I hate confrontations). I kept going through the scene that I was sure would play out. Me screaming things like "You aren't here! You don't even know!" "You have no place to tell me what to do!" "This is ridiculous!" "When you want to fork out the money to pay to have him tested for something I know he doesn't have!" And the scene always ended up with me in the principals office yelling at the principal and then being asked not to return.
The next morning I wanted to just get the anger and humiliation over with. I quickly said a prayer and then made the call. I explained my position to them and then as they began to retaliate (okay I don't know if they were really retaliating, but they were going to say something:) ), I cut them off and said something I had not planned on saying. I expressed heart felt gratitude for their concern for my child and his well-being.

You could almost feel the whole atmosphere change. A phone call that could have ended in yelling and tears ended in thank-you's and love.
It's amazing what gratitude can do. James E. Faust said, "A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It helps us develop such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being. Said the Lord, “And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more” (D&C 78:19)."
I sometimes wonder what would have happened with my horrible online book purchase experiance if I had not have gotten so angry, but expressed gratitude to the person on the other line for helping me. I don't know that I would have gotten much back but, I am sure, I would have felt much better afterword. For anyone who has ever worked in any job dealing with customers you know it is much easier, to work with someone who is kind and thankful that you are helping them. And it is much easier to be willing to do more and bend over back words for that grateful costumer.

So, this is where the challenge comes in. I challenge you, all three of my readers (Hi, Mom!), to find that one person, or experience throughout the week, that you know you want to blow up at and find something to thank them for. It could be the check out lady that rang up and charged you for your green beans three times instead of just once. I could be your husband who, after asking him repeatedly, still left his stinky, sweaty, socks in the middle of the floor. It could be that snotty neighbor who continually tells you, in the sweetest voice and words, that you are a failure at keeping your yard and house and children clean. Find them (and you know you will), and tell them thank you for something-- It doesn't have to be huge, it can be gratitude for their time, for their willingness to help, for their smile-- And see if the experience, your attitude, or the entire atmosphere changes.

Okay, off you go, scoot!

Happy Thanks Givings!