Learn to appreciate

Sometimes, we take things and people for granted.

We're stingy with compliments.

We don't actively say thank you.

We might not know how to show our appreciation to people. 

Actually, a simple action or word will do. Is this very difficult? For some people, it's peanuts. For some, it's not that they don't want to show appreciation, it's just difficult for them to show it as they don't know how. For some, they don't even give a damm. These people should learn how to appreciate so that people will start to appreciate them too. 

On a Friday in May, I came across a client. I was explaining to her what follow up she needs to do over the phone. After introducing myself and when I was about start to go into the topic, she stopped me and asked me,

'From your voice, I assume you're down with flu or you're sick?'

'...Yes Mdm Goh, I'm down with flu.'

'Oh...I'm sorry to hear that, please take care, you should've taken MC today.'

'I'm okay, ....(and I continued to explain to her the follow up she needs to do)' 

(As I was explaining, I have no idea why suddenly my cough starts to worsen and I was coughing madly each time I finish a sentence. It became so bad that I have to excuse myself and put Mdm Goh on 'Hold' mode.)

(She didn't feel unhappy but kept saying...)

'It's okay, go have some water and take some lozenges.'

'I'll do the talking, you can just cough and listen to me. You'll have to cough it out in order to feel better. Go on.'

'Must take care, your cough is very serious.'

(Her voice was so caring and I felt that she was really very concerned. I'm embarrassed but felt grateful at the same time. I drank some water while on 'Hold' mode and felt better. I resumed to explain to her what she needs to do.) 

'Thank you so much Shi Hui, please take care and I will email you the application form on Monday. Please take care. You can go try 京都念慈安川贝枇杷膏. Have it with warm water and it will really help your cough. Alright, don't talk so much, take care. Bye bye!'

I was really surprised by what she said. What I just did is basically part of my job and yet she is so thankful about it.

On Monday when I came to work, I received 2 emails from our call centre. Mdm Goh called to the hotline to check if I have received the application form to ensure that I do the follow up and also another call to thank me for being so helpful. I also received a miss call from her too, on my desk phone, and returned a call. I spoke to her and then got to know that she thought that I will be on MC today so afraid that no one will tend to her application form that she has submitted. I told her that we have received the application form and will process it accordingly. Also, I thanked her for calling in to thank me as she don't really have to do that. She really appreciates what I did (though I still think that whatever I did is something really simple) and kept thanking me.

Although I think this Mdm Goh is a little dramatic but her appreciation towards the people around her is really something that we should learn. Learn to appreciate others, so that other will appreciate you and this in turn will make the place around you a happier place to be and live in.