I abhor forced or fake appreciation.

I realize there are natural times to celebrate other people. Celebrating Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s and Father’s Day, and even pastor appreciation month can be great times to show how much you value another person and recognize their contribution to your life. But let’s be honest, many times it feels forced.

You know that the only reason they are doing anything is because the occasion meant that they had to do it. We have all gotten a lousy or cheap gift, an impersonal card, or a visit from someone because they were forced to do it. And let me be even more honest: it was meaningless to you, or it might have even hurt your feelings. We thought they truly appreciated us, but based on what they did and said, they clearly do not.

That is why I believe the solution to forced appreciation is to offer it when the other person does not expect it. A card on a random Wednesday is a tremendous blessing. A text on a Thursday that expresses your appreciation will be meaningful. A gift given out of the blue will touch someone’s heart in ways you never imagined.

The solution to forced appreciation is doing it when it is unforced. Doing it on days, well, like today.