I suddenly realized how important the people I know are to me, how much all of my friends, peers and professors do for me that I simply don't appreciate. My life would be impossible without the thankless assistance of many. Like my professor who talked to a local business owner to guarantee me an internship. Or one of my roommates who always makes sure that there's bread, milk and juice in the house and never asks for grocery money. Or my girlfriend who puts her life on hold to find my car keys.
Appreciation goes beyond just courtesy.
It will affect every part of our working lives, our social interactions, even international relations as a whole. There's nothing better than feeling appreciated, nothing worse than feeling as if no one notices your work - just ask your mother. We even have cultural institutions guaranteeing appreciation. From Resident Assistant appreciation to Mother's Day, we formally seek to recognize those with particularly tough or underappreciated jobs. But simply being acquainted with me is a tough enough job.