Everyone likes to be appreciated. Yet while most of us are quick to criticise we are, unfortunately, much slower to praise or to thank. We know, deep down, of course, that we ought to express our thanks to certain people. That is probably what gave the greeting card industry the opportunity to cash in our sense of guilt by marketing such occasions as fathers’ day and mothers’ day.
At Christmas or at the end of the company year many executives do thank their staff in their happy holiday/staff motivational speeches. Companies also thank customers in with client appreciation speeches. By doing so they are responding to a human need and it is good business as well.
On a more personal level one of the couple celebrating their wedding anniversary will thank guests for gifts and good wishes. The same applies at birthdays where the birthday boy or girl often says a few words of thanks.
We often forget to say thank you to a teacher. Yet teachers are often one of the greatest influences in our lives. In fact, second only to our parents, they are often the people who determine who or what we become later on. Many of them spend long hours helping us with problems we may have with a certain subject. Certainly they often go beyond the call of duty in encouraging and helping their pupils. In fact they are often the mentor who means the most to us and certainly the schools that have good teachers should treasure them and express gratitude to them too. So if you’ll remember your teacher in later years say the right thing and he or she will remember you too.

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A golden wedding anniversary shows us that there is still loyalty and commitment in this world. It shows that some people believe in keeping their promise of “Until death do us part.”
It proves that despite the hardships of life there are still people who are survivors, people who stick to each other despite illness and other difficulties.
Of course the people who are now celebrating that big occasion are mostly in their seventies or eighties. Could it be that they are the last survivors of a different era? Those who survived a word war could, one supposes, survive anything. Love, of course, conquers all.
The divorce rate in the U.S. in 2005 (per 1,000 people) was 3.6, the lowest rate since 1970, while the rate for Britain and Wales was a huge 11.9 per thousand although in both countries the numbers have been falling in the last few years. A more interesting statistic in Britain is the fact that one in five couples of those divorcing already had a previous divorce so perhaps they were not suited to marriage at all. Maybe those divorced for, say wife beating, should, by law, be forbidden to re-marry.
Children are, of course, the main sufferers when marriages break down. It takes very loving parents indeed to forget their own bitterness towards each other and put the children first.  Perhaps they should think very hard about the saying Divorce, don’t destroy the children too.
Perhaps the reason why divorce numbers have been falling in the last few years is that, economically, it is very difficult to run two homes these days. Then there are all the couples who choose not to get married but just to live together. It would be interesting to know how many of them will still be together fifty years from now.
Golden wedding anniversaries say a lot about the character of the couples involved. They are a cause for celebration and jubilation. Children usually pay tribute to their parents on this special occasion. Such a day, like the marriage of the couple, is definitely one made up of golden moments.

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There was once a popular hit the words of which went “Let’s get together again”. It’s the ideal advice for anyone who plans a party. Getting together with old friends helps make the occasion a great success. If it’s your mother’s birthday she would probably be delighted to see the old friend who was her bridesmaid perhaps. If it’s your father’s retirement he would probably be glad to see an old colleague who had moved onto another job somewhere else.

Perhaps you are having a family re-union? If so making a big effort to contact those cousins with whom you’ve lost touch will be well worthwhile. They’ll probably be delighted that you made the effort. There are some occasions that call out for such a family re-union. Take a bar mitzvah or a wedding anniversary for instance. It’s the ideal time for the generations to mix.

Sadly many of us only get together at a time of mourning. Whether it’s your sister’s funeral or an uncle’s funeral it is a time for a get-together. So don’t rush off after the funeral service but stay and revive memories with family and friends. It will help give you comfort and together, you can reminisce and tell tales of the loved one you have lost.
There are, of course, other reasons for getting people together. It might be a political rally or at the firm’s annual picnic. Whatever the reason it’s good to mix with like minded people. If you find you don’t get on with them you can always chalk it down to experience and avoid the next gathering!

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In the Catholic faith November is the month of the dead. It’s a time when we remember those loved ones we have lost. That, of course, is not something that is particular to any one faith or religion. Perhaps, though, it should be a time too when we consider how lucky we are to have loved ones who are still with us. A family re-union might be time to
express gratitude for family and friends. A grandmother’s 80th birthday is obviously an occasion to say how much she means in the life of the family. A father’s retirement day is the opportunity to say thank you for working so hard for us all the years. In a busy world we are inclined to take others for granted and, however much we love them, we rarely express that love. So if it is your own wedding anniversary tell those gathered to celebrate how much your spouse means to you. There is a saying that feeling appreciation and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it. So go on, give that that gift. Some November you’ll be glad you did.

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“Help” said the customer. “It’s my sister’s diamond wedding anniversary and I have been asked to give a toast. I haven’t a clue what to say.” He was delighted when I suggested that such a speech should be very short and sincere. Basically he should say he is expressing the good wishes of their family and friends on such a special day and mention just how much they mean to those present. He should compliment them on their long and happy marriage saying it was an example of constancy and faithfulness. He should end by wishing them many more years of marriage and ask those present to join him with an appropriate toast.

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