the warm sunshine of gratitude

I discovered something in hospital that I suppose I knew - already - but I'd never been still long enough to see it work over a sustained period.
Y'see, in a hospital bed you get what the medical people are able to get to you when they're able to get it to you. I could do little enough for myself, and even less for others...but was this really an invitation to make myself the exclusive centre of attention?
Having visited a couple of friends in Hospital the previous Sunday I knew that people are so much worse off than me, but this was hurting, uncomfortable, dependent, and somewhat attention-focussing.
And yet somewhere deep within was a sense that I was the beneficiary of amazing surgical skills and compassionate nursing and ought to be properly thankful for all that comprised such a blessing. So I found myself saying thank you whenever a surgeon come visiting, or a nurse handed me a pottle to puke into or plunged the a syringe full of this medicine or that into a device in the back of hand, or handed me a pill or two or several. Even an icy refill of my water-jug seemed like a real blessing - actually that was a blessing. So "thank you" became an act of praise both of my carers and of the God of all goodness whose own goodness lies behind all good.
So - sunshine? That was the astonishing effect that such a small act of appreciative response; the smile on the faces of those repeatedly, patiently answering my requests and calls on my little button; often a little hassled by the weight of the needs of those they had to care for.
In as much as you did it for the least of these...ought to yield a little sunshine now as well as well on the loving face of the Saviour as He reviews the shape our lives...and yet maybe that "in as much..." also applies to putting a smile on the face of a willing, hardworked, dedicated, compassion-driven servant of my needs when I'm so dependant and at their mercy.