THANKS: The Most Human Word

In a world full of noise, gratitude keeps humanity alive, so today, and every day, let us remember to say: Thank You. Because life itself is a gift.

By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden

Among all the words we speak in life, “Thanks” is perhaps the most powerful and the most human. It is simple, yet it carries the weight of love, respect, humility, and awareness. Saying thanks is not just a social courtesy; it is an acknowledgment of the invisible hands that shape our lives every day.

A thankful person lives with grace. An ungrateful person lives with emptiness.

So, to whom should we, as humans, say thanks?

Let us look around.

First Thanks: To Our Parents

Before we learned to walk, speak, or understand the world, our parents were already sacrificing for us. They gave us life, care, shelter, food, values, and protection.

A mother stays awake so her child can sleep. A father stands strong so his family can feel safe.

No matter how successful we become, we can never repay their efforts. The least we can do is say: “Thank you, Amma and Baba.”

Thanks to Our Teachers

Teachers do not just teach lessons, but they shape minds and build futures. They turn confusion into clarity and dreams into direction.

From the alphabet we learned in childhood to the wisdom we gained in adulthood, teachers are the torchbearers of our growth. A society that forgets its teachers forgets its future.

Thanks to Family and Siblings

Our family stands beside us in our strongest and weakest moments.

Our siblings share our childhood, carry our secrets, fight with us, laugh with us, and support us silently. They are our first friends and sometimes our greatest critics. Gratitude keeps these bonds alive.

Thanks to Relatives, Neighbors, and Friends

Life is not lived alone. Our neighbors lend a helping hand. Relatives stand in difficult times. Friends bring comfort when the world feels heavy. Even a small kindness deserves a sincere thank you.

Thanks to Farmers: The Feeders of Humanity

Before any meal reaches our table, it begins in a farmer’s field. Through heat, rain, and hardship, farmers cultivate the food that sustains the world. A thankful society respects the soil and those who work on it. When we eat, we must remember: Someone worked hard for this food.

Thanks to Pets: Our Loyal Companions

Pets like dogs and cats are not just animals; they are friends, protectors, and emotional supporters. They give us: Unconditional love, companionship, and comfort in loneliness and joy in sadness. A dog waits for us at the door with pure excitement. A cat curls beside us, sharing silent warmth. They teach us loyalty, empathy, and kindness without ever speaking a word. For their presence and affection, we must say: “Thank you to our pets, our little family members.”

Thanks to Life Partners: Our True Companions in the Journey of Life

A life partner is the one with whom we share not just our home, but our dreams, struggles, hopes, and responsibilities. They walk beside us in happiness and in sorrow, in success and in failure and in youth and in old age. A life partner supports us emotionally, shares our burdens, celebrates our achievements and stands as a pillar in difficult times. They are the closest witness of our life story.

For their love, patience, sacrifices, and companionship, we must sincerely say: “Thank you to my life partner for sharing life with me.”

Thanks to Countries that Open Doors for Students and Workers

In today’s world, many developed and progressive countries welcome students and workers from poorer nations. This creates a win-win situation for example students gain education and opportunities, workers earn livelihoods and support their families and host countries benefit from talent, skills, and cultural diversity.

Such countries provide chances for growth and dignity. Support global cooperation and humanity, help reduce poverty through education and employment. For their openness, fairness, and contribution to human development, we must say: “Thank you to the countries that give hope and opportunity to people from less privileged parts of the world.”

Thanks to Colleagues and Workers

From office staff to drivers, cleaners to clerks, nurses to engineers, the world runs because people work. Every profession contributes to making life smoother and more functional. Gratitude strengthens dignity.

Thanks to God

Beyond human effort lies the greatest source of life: God. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the earth we walk on, the sun that gives light, the trees that give oxygen, and the food we eat are the greatest gifts for which we were not charged. Saying thanks to God is not religion; it is awareness.

Thanks to Policymakers and Systems

A good system makes life organized, easier, and secure.

When roads are built, schools are opened, laws are fair, and policies serve the people means someone somewhere is thinking about public welfare. We must appreciate efforts that create justice, safety, and opportunity.

Thanks to Scientists and Innovators

The modern world stands on the shoulders of science because of scientists’ diseases are cured, technology connects us, travel is easier, communication is instant, and life expectancy is longer.

From electricity to the internet, from vaccines to smartphones, science has reshaped human life. Gratitude honors progress.

Thanks to Medical Professionals

Doctors, nurses, researchers, and healthcare workers save lives daily.

When medicine prevents suffering and cures illness, it is not just treatment; it is humanity in action. We owe thanks to those who heal the body and give hope to the heart.

Thanks to Spiritual and Moral Teachers. Some people teach us not just how to live, but why to live. They remind us to help the poor, to respect nature, to act with kindness, and to live with purpose.

They awaken the conscience, and such guidance deserves lifelong gratitude.

Gratitude Is a Way of Life

Saying thanks:

• Makes us humble
• Builds stronger relationships
• Increases inner peace
• Reminds us we are not alone

It transforms the human heart.

A grateful person lives richly, even with little.

An ungrateful person remains poor, even with everything.

Thanks to Those We Loved First: The Teachers of the Heart

According to my friend Sikandar Baloch, we must also say thanks to the people we once loved deeply in our lives, those early loves that may not have lasted forever, yet changed us forever. They were our first experience of emotional connection, vulnerability, sacrifice, pain, and healing. In Sufi thought, this is called Majazi Ishq, the love for another human, which often becomes the bridge toward Haqiqi Ishq, the love of the Divine.

Those initial loves teach the heart how to feel, how to surrender, and how to grow.

They awaken the soul and prepare it for a higher, purer love.

Even if they left our lives, they left us wiser. For the lessons they gave us about love, patience, longing, and meaning, we must sincerely say “Thank you to those souls who touched our hearts first and guided us unknowingly toward divine love.” Because sometimes, the path to God begins with loving a human.

And After 100 Years: Whom Will We Thankful?

Imagine the world a century from now. Perhaps we will be thankful for artificial intelligence that makes decisions, advanced medicine that eliminates major diseases, sustainable energy that protects the planet, and systems that make life more equal and just. But one thing will remain unchanged: Humans will still be grateful to those who show kindness, because gratitude is not about time; it is about being human.

In essence, “thanks” is not a small word. It is the language of the heart.

We must say thanks to those who gave us life, those who taught us, those who supported us, those who work for society, those who heal and innovate, those who guide morally, and the Creator who sustains us.

In a world full of noise, gratitude keeps humanity alive, so today, and every day, let us remember to say: Thank You. Because life itself is a gift.

Read: Gul Plaza Fire Ignites Reform Urgency

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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.