My two-year-old daughter is learning her manners. So when you give her something, she says in a sweet, sing-songy voice with her little age-2 accent… “You’re welcome!”

Funny, but the natural response is, “Thank you.”

That may be because I am trying to correct her but still, I say, “Thank you.” Then I got to thinking… maybe that is the correct order of pleasantries. She is allowing me to serve her. She is allowing me to love. My teacher Henry Grayson, in Mindful Loving, points out that when we give love, we experience love; as something inside of us and not separate from us. So she is providing all of these wonderful opportunites for me to touch my essence, draw it out… REALIZE it.

So she says, “You’re welcome.”

And I say, “Thank you.”

Maybe I’ll try this on Christmas. For each gift I receive… “You’re welcome!” Why not? Why say “Thank you”? Thank you for more stuff that I will like and get attached to? Don’t get me wrong, there are things on a list (many of them start with I, as in Apple products) that I want, but will they make me a more loving person and help me to shine?! Perhaps for a moment if they ARE shiny but… I would rather say thank you to those in my life for BEING HERE for me to bounce love off of, and for letting me find the love in my heart and my soul that guides me to buy them sweet gifts. I’m going to hand them their presents and say, “Thank you.”

And to my daughter for letting me make you almond milk steamers, and kiss your boo-boos, and wipe your poop, and watch Dora the Explorer with you… Thank you.