A little appreciation goes a long way

Ever wonder how we express appreciation for the appreciation that we get? If you are someone who does a good deed and get a nice note in the mail, do you say to yourself, “That was sure appreciated”? When we do something good, our bodies release endorphins which make us feel happy.

I’m sure I’m biased, but rural people truly appreciate each other and the many daily acts of kindness. This thought arose because I will be attending a steak supper today, hosted by one of our seed corn vendors. He provides ribeye steaks with all the trimmings and refreshments for all families who purchased corn from him this year. We think his corn products are some of the best, but the service we get from him is even more appreciated. When we need five more bags to finish, he will deliver them to our farm. That extra service is taken into account when the next planting season comes around.

Our milk plant recently held a summer meeting in which they expressed appreciation for all the dairy farmers producing high-quality milk so they can make the highest-quality cheese money can buy. All producers received a full meal — New York-style pizzas — and also information on the company’s progress in modernization and expansion projects. If a company wants to essentially be a part of our farm, we like being appreciated as more than just a milk supplier. We have been marketing milk to them for 47 years. Loyalty works both ways.

Our farm hosts an annual pizza party for anyone who would like to attend. We want to get families to eat cheese on their pizzas. The cheese may have come from our milk through our milk plant. We want people to know we appreciate being members of the community. We want them to take the time to visit and to learn about our farm. This year, we served 142 pizzas at no cost to anyone.

We are happy to watch the local 4-H clubs and fairs support youth activities. The number of kids housing animals on our farm in preparation for the fair grows every year. To receive a handwritten short note from one of the exhibitors is a basic lesson in appreciation. Little do they realize that each card just increases the amount that we want to help them.

To quote one of these letters:

“Dear Jim, you are so nice and funny. Thank you for letting me keep my pig on the farm and for letting me use a cow. Lyla.” - Anne

A few years ago, a bicycling group from Wyoming was touring Wisconsin. We volunteered the use of a house for a night for the riders to refresh and refill their bodies. Anne wrote later, “We went to a lot of places, but yours was a highlight of the trip for me. The comfortable house to stay in, the wonderful meal, the cheese in the fridge and even the flowers on the table were so wonderful. We certainly appreciate all you did for us. If you ever travel this way, we hope to return the favor.”

Appreciation is certainly not a commodity that can simply be handed out. It is a development of trust and the need for us to need each other. Those who seem to not need others for support will often lose their sense of appreciation. Consider the driver who flies past when you are stopped on the side of the road with a flat tire, or the cocky person who thinks he never needs help. Their appreciation account will go dry someday. I think the same happens to companies who seem to forget who helped them become successful.

In summary, it seems we are always told to appreciate our spouses, our children, employees and employers, and that is all true. However, we can all do more to express that appreciation for those who are close to us. Appreciation should never stop, and indeed it becomes more valuable as we get older. The warm feelings — endorphins — that we get from being appreciative help us build positive relationships and be happy.