Have you ever met someone who tells you how much he or she appreciates you? Not just you, but everyone with whom they come into contact? It's quite rare, those who express appreciation. We all feel it for those who make positive impacts upon our lives: people who make us laugh, or who do us favors, or open doors, or let us into traffic, or even give us something as free and benign as a friendly smile while passing on the sidewalk. We appreciate these people, and we try to make them feel it with our body language and facial expressions, maybe even tossing in a few hand movements to make our intentions understood. But we never say it. Because that would seem weird and uncomfortable.

There was a guy who turned 25 yesterday that hosted us at his house in San Marcos for the big party last night. And this morning, while the remaining attendees were all sitting around the table outside in the front yard, he made sure to tell us, "I want to thank you all for coming, and to know that I appreciate each and every one of you, and that I'm happy that you're here with me right now."

It was as simple as that, and I guarantee you it made all of the people who heard feel really good inside. I think I'm going to start telling people that I appreciate them more often, too.