Summary
Gratitude is an expression of thanks to whoever has done us a favor. We often forget to express our gratitude because: (1) we are unsure of how to do it; and (2) we tend to forget as other pressing concerns overtake our lives. I provide here a reflection of expressing gratitude with examples in an academic environment. Being acknowledged for even little gestures of assistance is among the ‘highs’ of an academic administrator.
1. Biblical Context of Expressing Gratitude
The Holy Bible is among the wisdom literature that contains a variety of gratitude stories. We are very familiar with the biblical story about Jesus Christ, who cured 10 lepers in the then Palestine (Box 1). Out of the 10 lepers, however, only 1 came back to Jesus to express his gratitude for being healed of his despicable ailment.
Box 1. Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy (Gospel of St. Luke – 17:11-19)
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Source: New International Version (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2017%3A11-19&version=NIV)
What do you consider were the reasons why the other nine did not come back? Do you think they were ungrateful for not even saying their simple ‘thank you’ to Jesus?
Possibly, but not exactly. I reckon that they were not necessarily ungrateful. Most likely, they were so overjoyed for being so suddenly cured of such a dreaded disease. During that time, there was no known medical cure to leprosy. Hence, those afflicted by leprosy were regarded as menace to the society, and thus, the populace shied away from them. When they passed through public places, they had to shout ‘unclean!’ to warn others of their impending arrival. Thus, the other nine who were miraculously cured most probably went first to their families and friends to proclaim that the enigmatic Master healed them.
After their initial euphoria had subsided, they must have gone back to their senses. Only then did they realize that they had not yet thanked the Healer. When they looked for Jesus, however, He had already gone away. Jesus was very much roving together with his disciples, an itinerant teacher going unscheduled from one place to another.
After this blog’s introduction, I provide a brief treatise about expressing gratitude in four sections. First, I briefly describe the work in an academic environment, which is my workplace. Then, I give examples on gratitude that I receive ‘in kind’. Thirdly, I share a few instances of appreciation that were expressed in written words. I wrap up that we must never forget to express gratitude – and suggest that we do it straight away, just like the Samaritan.
2. Work in Academic Environment
My workplace is at the Palawan State University (PSU), a state-funded academic institution located in Puerto Princesa City (PPC), Palawan Province, Philippines. (This maritime province directly flanks the hotly-contested South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea, parts of which are simultaneously claimed by China and other neighboring Asian countries.) I have been working here as a professor over the last 20 years. Since August 2018, I have been the Dean of the Graduate School. (In Europe and Australia, the Dean is the equivalent of the HOS or Head of School.)
The academic environment is no different from other workplaces. There are give-and-take processes; there are politics and intrigues; and there are also gratifying moments. For privacy, I have removed the personal identities of the concerned individuals or parties. Moreover, I likewise sought their permissions to be cited anonymously.
Being an academic administrator, I solicit the support of many colleagues – such as civil engineers and architects – in designing the new graduate school building (Figure 1). I profusely thanked these two gentlemen for their efforts and generosity. Our physical location is about five kilometers away from the PSU main campus, and these two colleagues took the time and drove their own cars to accede to my request.
As the Dean, I have been trying to exemplify part of the Rotary International’s Four-Way Test of being ‘fair to all concerned’. I accommodate as many reasonable requests from faculty and staff members related to instruction, research, extension, and day-to-day operations. Moreover, I make myself accessible to the students and give my best efforts to extend whatever legitimate assistance I could provide to them. From my perspective, these actions are neither spectacular nor extraordinary: I am simply trying to fulfill my duty with due diligence. And therefore, I need not be given any reward or recognition.
Thus, I am often surprised whenever I receive tokens of gratitude in various forms. (Personality-wise, I don’t think I am neither warm nor a populist.) By token, I mean the gratitude given is neither expensive nor materially lavish. Yet receiving these unexpected expressions of thanks are admittedly gratifying; they make your stressful, and at times gut-wrenching job, more fulfilling. In the next two sections, let me just give a few examples of these ‘token’ forms of gratitude.
3. Gratitude in Kind
Gratitude in kind takes many forms and modes – that came as little surprises – as these obviously catch my attention when I arrive at my desk. These include a simple key chain that was given during Father’s Day occasion (Figure 2). Being provided a surprise birthday party by faculty and staff members was likewise memorable. They contributed among themselves to purchase food that we partook together – and enjoyed the meals without talking about work! Being remembered on your natal day, without obligating your colleagues, remains a heart-warming gesture.
One very ordinary morning, I was surprised to find a box of intricately-decorated cake on my table (Figure 3). It looked yummy, but there was no card to indicate the giver. My senior staff (Jellah) came over and informed me that “Ms. S” gave it. Jellah said that the giver profusely said ‘thank you’, but she could no longer wait for me.
Earlier, I recommended her for re-hiring. I thought I did nothing noteworthy as I was only one of the many supervisors who recommended her; in fact, she did not work directly under me. I was not even the approving authority. Yet for that seemingly simple act, I received an unexpected gratitude – in the form of a yummy cake that I shared with co-workers during lunch time.
One early evening, I was walking along the building aisle towards the gate to go home. A teacher (whom I shall call as “Ms. T”) casually approached me from the opposite direction. A few days earlier, she had successfully defended her master’s thesis. Ms. T said, “Sir, may I give this to you as a token of my appreciation?” Then, she handed me a sports hat. I responded that, “There is no need for this as I did nothing beyond my duty.”
Ms. T replied that as the dean, I had been giving her moral support and that I facilitated to resolve the concern about her thesis adviser. She insisted that I take the hat, which I did, albeit reluctantly. When I arrived home, I looked again at the hat and noticed a card attached to it (Figure 4). The message was simply heart-warming.
During one drizzling night, I decided to dine out first before going home. When I walked back to my office, I saw a Parker pen lying on my table along with a ‘thank you’ note (Figure 5). It came from graduate students taking up a class under the Master in Public Administration (MPA). They were not my graduate students (I teach environment-related courses), as I was not teaching any MPA class.
I was amazed to get a Parker pen out of nowhere. There was no particular occasion such as a birthday or a Christmas celebration for traditional gift-giving. Unless it was put on my table by mistake, I didn’t deserve such a pen that costed about US$20, most probably through a class contribution. I asked my co-professors and staff but – up to this blog’s uploading – nobody could trace who really gave it. I couldn’t do anything but feel elated. Up to this day, I have been using that pen.
4. Gratitude Written In Words
Being a dean over the last three years, I have received so many ‘thank you’ verbally. Receiving such spoken gestures of gratitude are among the ‘highs’ of an academic administrator. On some occasions, though, these gratitudes were expressed in written words.
On 4 July 2020, I received a pleasantly unexpected email (Box 2). Although I have no formal obligation to review the master’s thesis of the students exhaustively, I do read their manuscripts and provide my own written suggestions for possible improvement. In thesis defense, the formal evaluators are the defense panel: three persons consisting of a chair and two members.
Box 2. Email of a masteral student.
During the afternoon of his defense, I offered him my small conference cubicle so he could prepare and relax before the thesis defense proper. Earlier, I saw him sweating while sitting on a public chair outside my office. I invited him to come inside my office, knowing that he drove by motorcycle for over an hour as his residence is over 70 kilometers away from PPC.
Furthermore, I gave him a cup of coffee. Nothing special but just a sachet of 3-in-1 coffee mix. Yet, for such small gestures, I received an email that contained both words of thanks and praise.
At 1805 on Friday, 25 June 2021, I received a ‘thank you’ messenger message all the way from The Netherlands (Box 3). (I did a little translation as parts of the message are in Filipino language). Ms. K thanked me because I provided the letter of recommendation a few years back for her masteral schooling there. On the previous day, she was formally awarded the MS in Water Management and Governance.
Most recently, at around midnight of 1 August 2021, a rather close co-worker recently completed her doctorate degree. She did it with flying colors: obtained very high grades and general weighted average. Additionally, she was also awarded the ‘Best Dissertation Award’.
I sent a congratulatory message on her FB page for her milestone accomplishment. She wrote a very nice reply (Box 3). Frankly, I don’t recall extending any extraordinary assistance to her aside from moral support and discussing with her parts of the dissertation. But being publicly acknowledged has remained a satisfying feeling.
5. Act Like the Samaritan
What is the take-home message about this blog on expressing gratitude with a few examples in an academic environment?
For any favor extended to us – no matter how minuscule or seemingly inconsequential – I reckon that it’s more prudent to either say a simple ‘thank you’ or write at the very least a subtle note of gratitude. Let us not just ignore it, or worse, pretend as if the favor has never been extended. As humans, we all need that sense of being appreciated for our worldly deeds. As in the words of the great American philosopher cum psychologist and historian, William James, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
Let us also not assume that our benefactor would not mind. As long as our act is sincere, it will work wonders in both ways. Our benefactor will become happy with our expression of gratitude. In turn, as the recipient of the favor done, we shall also feel ‘relieved’ that we have done our responsibility to reciprocate the gesture.
My thinking is it’s best to express our gratitude straight away – if not at the earliest time possible. The longer we dilly dally, the greater the likelihood that we may forget to express our ‘thank you’ in whatever form at all. We live in a fast-paced world, and we are often swamped with daily chores and other priorities in life. Going back to the biblical narrative, we may emulate the Samaritan.
Note that the Samaritan had acted differently from the nine other lepers. Realizing he had been cured, his immediate action was to search first for his Healer. Finding Jesus, the Samaritan unashamedly threw himself at the Lord’s feet and profusely thanked Him. Had we been there, we could have been witnesses to such a very dramatic scene (Figure 6). Thus, Jesus was very pleased with him and claimed that his faith in God had made him well.
Let me close this blog with the phrase “Give thanks with a grateful heart”, which forms part of the lyrics of Donald James Moen’s song titled Give Thanks. (You may freely access this song on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blbslHDgceY.) An American singer, he is a popular vocalist and songwriter of Christian worship music. While such a song is intended to The Almighty, the essence of giving thanks also applies to us mortals as well.
Let’s all give thanks to all who extend us any help or accord us any favor – in whatever form or no matter how seemingly inconsequential – with a grateful heart.
Author’s Note: To make the posted blog interactive, I request you to provide a feedback for sharing to other readers. You may also send me email at: mdpido@huescribbler.com
Copyright © 2021 by Michael D Pido
Thanks Mike for sharing your thoughts and your life stories.
Hi Sis Leah! Thanks for taking the time to read and providing feedback. Hope all is well with you in the US.
This is such a feel-good post, Sir Mike. In the spirit of gratitude, thank you for sharing this! I remember a previous HS teacher who said that the most noteworthy things one can do are quite simple: to smile, to give applause, and to say thank you.
Hi Engr Ryan – Thanks for your kind feedback. Cheers!
Hi Sir Mike,
Thank you for the great message you have written. Indeed, the message is very encouraging and the work of the Lord in your life is clearly seen. Let our lives be used powerfully by God for His glory. God bless you po Sir.
Dear VP Maridel – Thank you so much for sharing your perspective. I hope you may share the blog with friends and colleagues at Marinduque State University. Take care.
I am also thankful that I met an incredible Dean like you! You served as one of my motivations for doing my best in my writing! Please stay healthy because I want you to witness my improvements and see me succeed one day!
Hope to see you at the soonest time, even virtually!
❤️lots,
Donnalyn
Hi Donnalyn – Thank you for finding me incredible. I am both humbled and honored. You are already successful – but you will definitely be more successful in the near future. Cheers!
Thank you for this very inspiring thoughts sir Mike! I can really relate to this especially since my pre-oral defense experience is still fresh from yesterday.
Sir, I would really like to express how appreciative I am of all the efforts you have made and for taking the time to proofread my manuscript, giving comments and suggestions. The way you speak and express your ideas for the improvement of my study made me motivated and dream of becoming like you someday who is very smart, inspiring, and affable.
Looking forward to meeting you again Sir Mike.
You deserve all the best in this life. May God bless you more and more.
Dear Joey – Thank you for taking the time to respond. I only did my role as the PSU Graduate School’s presiding Dean in your masteral thesis defense. I am glad that you’ve found my suggestions useful. Your very kind words, though, are very much appreciated. We look forward to your final thesis defense.
Wow, love it!! I am also very grateful to you Sir for inspiring and motivating us during our thesis defense (me and mam Joan) and yes we finally made it. Your good insights really improve our research writing skills.
You have mentioned many form of gratitude and that was awesome. Mine is just sending you this message from my heart as I also believe that words can only extend message if it ihas genuine meaning.
Thanks Anne. To be quite candid, I don’t see myself as ‘inspiring and motivating’ person. I consider myself as more of a ‘slave driver’!
THANKS DOC PIDO FOR REMINDING US THE VALUE OF SELF SHARING AND GRATITUTE
Cheers Tin-Tin!
Mike, your blog is a mind-wrenching to those who can’t simply say “thank you”. It is still fresh in my mind how you treated and accepted to my request years back that i would be attending the “Council of Deans” in your prestigious university. Not only the your univ but you as a professor had extended grgsrioudly with open hans and heart in your Hostel. I greatly appreciated that..sharing how accommodating you were to your mom, Ate Helen!
Simple act of kindness and recognition really make ones heart big. I wasn’t expecting that you have that huge heart!
This blog inspires me…worth reading and sharing!! I strongly recommend your blog…keep up this inspiring work of art in its truest sense!!!
Thanks Ma’am Chi – you kind words are much appreciated
Awesome as the author, very comprehensive, personal, biblical and well researched. If I had one friend left, I wanted it to be you. Never a dull moment with you Dean Mike. I am one of those persons, colleagues subordinates, and yes personal friends who is very thankful for knowing you and most especially working with you. We argue, we doubt at times, but in the end we respect, appreciated, and thank each others ideas and comments much more thanking the simplest ordinary things that we shared, reciprocated, and appreciated as we are over time, and as we savor our professional career and experiences in the academe. I was very impressed by your blogs and really find time to read and completely reading it. I am always inspired by your style and mechanics in articulating your ideas and perspective much more in illustrating them figuratively and schematically. You are likewise appreciative to every little and small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness that you feel obligated to reciprocate or even surpassed what the giver shared with you in appreciation of your deeds. I thank the Lord because I considered you as one of my answered prayers to lead me to those people who will help me, and that I could be of help in whatever ways i could. God bless you always. Keep safe, happy, healthy my friend, my boss and my idol. Thank you for this blog and keep inspiring and motivating others. Indeed this blog capturing your thoughts are very inspirational, friendly and worthy of appreciation and thanks. God bless you more. Thank you is not even enough for those who read and reflect with you. Looking forward to more blogs. Again thank you very much Dean Mike.
Thank you so much for your kind and comforting words. I sincerely appreciate them. I do miss our many friendly – and at times ‘quirky’ – conversations
Hello sir Mike,
It is such a pleasure reading something like this every now and then. Thank you for this reminder; sometimes people forget to look back and show gratitude to those who genuinely went out of their way to help them. Finding some restores our faith in humanity 🙂
I hope you never get tired of sharing meaningful thoughts like this sir Mike. I’m looking forward for your succeeding blogs. God bless you always!
Thanks for liking it Atty. Louie. We have enjoyed your presence in the academe. Best wishes in your endeavor
Sharing is caring. It enriches the sharer’s life and those priveledged to have received the shared messages and stories! May your sharings continue to inspire more people!
Hi Ma’am Chi – Thanks for your positive. Wished we had more chat time when I visited my ailing mother in Sablayan this April 2022. And thanks also for visiting her.
Indeed, one may not recognize how a simple “thank you” could make all the difference in a person’s day.
I could certainly relate to your stories sir Mike. I saw how hands-on and supportive you were as a boss, a mentor, and a dean. Thank you for your guidance and encouragement in all my endeavors while I was still in the academe. You may not realize it, but by those simple words, you have motivated me and others I know, to be better in everything.
Hi Jen – Thank you for your kind words. I was not even consciously ‘aware’ that I was a supportive boss or have motivated other people. Cheers for that!
Amazing! Thank you so much for this, Sir. Practicing gratitude each day reduces daily stress by gradually altering our perceptions of situations and by shifting our focus to the things we can be thankful for. God bless you!
Hi Ann – There’s indeed so much to be thankful in a academic environment
Thank you Sir Mike for sharing your thoughts and academic experiences on gratitude. As one of your former graduate students, I remember the fun quizzes you gave us. The word FUN got stuck on my mind that I copied your idea and applied it in my classes. Thank you.
Hi Rosemarie – Thanks for liking. Am glad you still remember my those fun quizzes.
🤗🤩🤩🤩
Wow
I enjoyed reading this article about gratefulness and gratitude. Thanks for this well-written and worth-sharing experience, Doc Mike!
#well-deservedgifts
Hi Bam – Thank you for your kind feedback. Great chatting with you at the sports complex a few nights ago.
Hello Sir Mike! Nice to from you.. that was a great biblical reflection indeed. So inspiring and well articulated in expressing gratefulness to whom it is due. It is an exemplary thought with notable deeds of appreciation. A great manifestation of humility that even you rose up in the higher echelon that seems divine to your subjects, you still demonstrated a leper type of humility in keeping your face on the ground and recognizing the “miniscule and obscure”… those gestures are aromatic expressions of thankful offerings in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May the LORD GOD bless your blogs and even more as you inspire people! GOD bless you and your family.
Hi Pastor Jay – Thank you so much for your kind words. I almost could not believe that – over 40 years ago – we were schoolmate at the University of the Philippines at los Baños. I never thought that I would become an academian here in Palawan (with your daughter as our graduate in a masteral degree) where your family is a very prominent political clan. As an emiment Church Minister, who has also been a politician, I truly appreciate that you share your insightful perspective.
May The Almighty bless you and your family more.
Thanks Sir Mike for this unexpected but heartwarming blog you shared with us. The stories of success of the featured people are truly inspiring. This inspired me to become more grateful of the things I accomplished in life and appreciate the people that helped me along the way. Just by reading this, it made me remember my teachers from elementary up to the mentors from my work. To be honest, people of my age [25] are mostly having existencial crisis right now for questioning what really have we accomplished in life as we are mostly overthinking of the future too much. Reading this made me want to look back and appreciate the people that paved the path for my present, the interactions we made, be it bitter or sweet, sure it made an impact. And for that I’m thankful. I just hope I could still meet those people and be able to thank them properly or if not I’ll message them if possible like what you suggested. Thanks Sir Mike and keep making these feel-good blogs. Mabuhay po kayo.
Hi Noel,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about the blog. This is very kind of you. As a writer, the reader’s positive feedback gives us a pleasure knowing that our piece of work is worth reading. Hope you may find time to read the other blogs and share your thoughts as well.
With best wishes,
Mike
Thank you, Sir Mike, for sharing your story and reflection on practicing gratitude. Just reading this blog alone radiates with how beautiful of a person you are. And I look forward to having more opportunities to learn from you.
Thanks for your kind words, Mark! Look forward to meeting you in person.
Thank you Sir Mike for sharing this! It is a good reminder to be mindful and grateful for everything and everyone with acts of kindness and to pay it forward 🙂
Dear Prof Dr Denise – Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts. It was great interacting with you today during the 9th Meeting of the Scientific Advisory Panel. Wishing you a safe trip back to Germany. Take care.
Sir Mike, thank you for seeing potential in others when they might not see it in themselves. Your belief in people’s capabilities is a gift—one that fuels courage, growth, and the determination to keep going. The world needs more leaders ( LODI, tatay, tropa, repapipz) like you, who uplift with both wisdom and kindness. May your generosity of spirit return to you a hundredfold!” Salamat ng marami po talaga sa lahat ng mga advices (weve known each other since the mah jong era😊😊😊) repapipz Vic
Hi Engr Vic – Thank you for the kind words and compliment. I simply extend the best that I could extend to those who request assistance. Meantime, I wish you all the best in your doctoral dissertation. Cheers!