appreciate small things: January 2010

This Past week I decided to ask people close to me the following questions:
What does the word "Appreciate" mean to you?
Do you know to "Appreciate?"
Do you have to be taught to "Appreciate?"
What do you "Appreciate?"
The Questions are not exactly crystal clear they almost sound pretty abrupt! Most people readily answered the questions. But interestingly some were defensive and felt uncomfortable about answering the questions
Interviews:
Dadda
• What does appreciate mean to you?
When somebody acknowledges that one has done something good
• Do you need to be told to appreciate? Or What to appreciate?
No and No. I don’t need to be told to Appreciate as it comes from my heart.
• Do we need to be taught to appreciate?
Yes we have to be taught to appreciate and most importantly taught to appreciate outwardly e.g. say thank you if someone makes you lunch. Say it out loud
• What do you appreciate?
When someone does a good job
Quality of life
Food
My children, My Wife, My parents
Travel
Star (5th grader)
• What does appreciate mean to you?
Appreciate means reflecting upon the pluses in your life. Those that make make your day brighter… such as people, places, or objects.
• Do you need to be told to appreciate? or What to appreciate?
No. I don’t think one has to be told to appreciate because if someone tells you to appreciate something it’s not the same: it was not your idea.
• Do we need to be taught to appreciate?
Yes because if you are not taught the meaning of appreciate you would be filled with hatred and not enjoy the good in your life.
• What do you appreciate?
That my father has so much time for me
Snow
Friends
Family
Inventions
God
Miracles

Bashibashi (Third Grader)
• What does appreciate mean to you?
It means saying you are a good person and you have a good heart
and saying you are a good friend
• Do you know what to appreciate?
yes. example someone who is nice to you
• Do you need to be told to appreciate? or What to appreciate?
I know to appreciate when it’s the right time!
• Do we need to be taught to appreciate?
I was born knowing to appreciate
• What do you appreciate?
Mom, dad, sister, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends
Wii, Ds, Playstation, camera and toys
House
Food and drinks
shey (Piano Teacher)
• What does appreciate mean to you?
Empathy
• Do you need to be told to appreciate? or What to appreciate?
Usually no sometimes may be. Sometimes its hard to see what thee is really to appreciated about something. sometimes its more obvious
• Do we need to be taught to appreciate?
Mainly people need to be taught but on some level people naturally do know how appreciate.
• What do you appreciate?
Hard work
Effort it takes to care about something
The fact that something not important to me could be extremely important to someone else

Sue (mom)
• What does appreciate mean to you
Appreciate means learning to accept help from others, being thankful when someone does something nice for you.
• Do you know to appreciate?

Yes I do

• Do you need to be told to appreciate?
Yes! Some people don’t know to say thank you when someone does something nice for them.
• What do you appreciate?
Family
Friends
Life
Nature
Just waking up each day

Pepper (mom)
• What does appreciate mean to you
Being thankful for something
Material or non material and showing it in some way that you value it!
• Do you need to be told to appreciate? or What to appreciate?
No I don’t need to be told to appreciate. and yes I know to appreciate!
• Do we need to be taught to appreciate?
Yes. Because it is not something that is inherent

• What do you appreciate?
Life and everything in it