There's a teacher who changed your trajectory. A stranger who helped you at the exact right moment. A friend from years ago who you've lost touch with. You want to thank them, but you can't find them - or it would be too awkward after all this time.
Put the thank you out into the world anyway. Someone will read it.
Thank Yous That Have Nowhere to Go
Gratitude is weird. You feel it strongly, but sometimes there's no natural way to express it. The person has moved on, or you don't have their contact info, or too much time has passed for a random "thanks for that thing 10 years ago" message.
So the thank you just sits in your head, taking up space. Writing it down - even to strangers - lets you express it. The person won't see it, but the gratitude still exists. It got out of your head and into the world.
Who People Thank
- Teachers - The one who saw something in you, pushed you, or just made class bearable
- Strangers - Someone who helped you in a random moment and never knew the impact
- Old friends - People you've lost touch with but haven't forgotten
- Colleagues - That person at work who covered for you or taught you the ropes
- Parents or family - Sometimes it's easier to write than say
- The person who didn't know - Someone whose actions affected you without them ever realizing
Why Anonymous Works
Sending a thank you directly can feel loaded. The other person might feel obligated to respond. They might not remember the thing you're thanking them for, which gets awkward. Or you're just not a "reach out to old contacts" type of person.
Anonymous removes all that. You get the release of expressing gratitude without any of the social overhead. The thank you exists, it's real, someone will read it - just not the person it was meant for.
Reading Gratitude
Gratitude messages are some of the most uplifting things to read on ReadAndGone. They remind you that small actions can have big impacts. That teacher who spent extra time with a student? Someone out there is still grateful 20 years later.
It might make you think about your own list. Who would you thank if you could?