I had a post ready on the zesty gift cranberries are to Thanksgiving but find I must post on the power of “thank you” instead. On my recent trip to Israel (I’m thankful for 115 meaningful days there  during eight trips in 35 years), being able to say “thank you” in Hebrew AND Arabic were important to unlock cooperation and relationship connections beyond anything I expected.

The Jewish and Palestinian people are cousins. Their languages are similar. Shalom is the Hebrew word Jewish people say for greeting or parting that means “peace”. Salaam carries that meaning in Arabic. In Hebrew, todah means thank you. Todah raba means thank you very much or great thanks—in fact, a heart full of thanks. In Psalm 95:2a KJV translates,  ^“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving.”

In Arabic, the equivalent is shukraan, often repeated twice. I enjoy connecting with the locals anywhere, so remembered both phrases.

I could write stories about our rented GPS. It took us to places we didn’t intend to see. Today, the biblical town of Emmaus is the Arab town of Abu Ghosh. Several times our GPS led us down narrow stone-walled alleys. The first was a dead end. Back-up driving is not my forté as an onlooking Palestinian grandfather observed. He hid a smile while giving hand signals to show me how close I was to either wall and when I should go straight. I said shukraan often.

Later, I needed similar help from a Palestinian woman in modern dress as I turned around in her driveway. In perfect American English she quickly asked, “You speak Arabic?”

“No, just shukraan, shukraan,” I said.

Next, our navigation finder directed us down a passageway barely wide enough for one car, except another advanced from the bottom.

Curtains, I thought, picturing our rental with dents and scrapes. The oncoming driver, a woman in modest black Arabic dress and headcovering, backed down the lane a block and a half to let me escape. “Shukraan, shukraan”, I said while smiling all the thanks in my heart.

She kissed her fingertips, waved them at me, and winked.

It was awkward and embarrassing having driving bobbles. Thankfully, no car damage was sustained for the writing of this post, but I felt like I knew those people. We met and exchanged pleasantries. We helped and liked each other. It gave me hope for improved Israeli and Palestinian relations. It even made me think greater world peace might be realized if people actually meet. I find it hard to truly meet someone and not like them.

I’m glad those GPS incidents occurred. I believe that we remember those meaningful challenges to meet and cooperate to solve dilemmas. We exchanged encouraging words. And smiles. I know for sure my heart filled with thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for this year? What unexpected meeting have you had that helped you build or heal a relationship that brought thankfulness?

Enjoy a wonderful day in the true spirit of Thanksgiving and expect your challenges to turn into blessings!