Acknowledgements are one of my favourite things to read, every time I read a book. I find it amazing to learn and know about how different people contributed to something that the author feels compelled to dedicated a few pages to - when the book seems to be an individual effort to an audience. And like with so many things in life, while the action of writing the book itself was by one person, there usually is a big group of people who made it happen. And they are often unseen, unknown by most. I do remember the authors of the books ive read - but I do not remember any of the people acknowledged. And maybe thats the way it is - the person who is at the centre of any accomplishment - their job is to realise they couldnt have done it alone. Every sportsperson who has ever played, there is a team of physios, coaches, dieticians and tacticians supporting them, and they almost never are at the centre of attention.
And like every new book, by the same author, and every tournament played by the athlete, has a different set of people to acknowledge, maybe with the exception of a few constant people.
Maybe its the same for an average person like me, who has done nothing of worldly significance. My interactions with all the people at different points of my life have shaped and evolved me into the person I am today. There is work to be done still, more to learn and more to grow. More people to thank and acknowledge.
But then how to actually do this? I now try to communicate this to people who help me grow. I am more intentional about remembering the contributions of people and I make it a point to tell them that they help me, change me, and inspire me. Whether its a small message, or a conversation where the details are gone into, I am trying to be more grateful by actually communicating my acknowledgements to all the people who are making me the person I want to be.
