Working for a Thanks

I had an interesting moment today, you know one of those moments that stick with you all the day though. I was doing something for someone and their friends. Now I did not start out thinking that I wanted to be thanked for what I was doing but I came to think that it would be nice to be thanked. Well, after saying something like, look what I did for you, the response I got was "I did not ask you to do it". Wow, there it was right in my face, here I was doing something for someone else and instead of getting thanked I got slapped.

I did not know what to say at first. It would seem that I had to rethink my motives as to why I was doing what I was doing specially in the light that it was not asked for and now apparently not appreciated.  So instead of getting angry and saying things that would cause a fight, I simply finished what I was doing and then left the room to think.

Ok, what was my real motive? Was I working for a thanks or did I have a higher purpose in mind? I still am not sure, but I think I will have to think twice next time to find out what I want out of my actions. I would love to say that I would only want to do it for the pure motive of just trying to help someone. But is it wrong to want at least some kind of appreciation? There has been plenty of things I have done for others behind the scenes where they do not know it was me and I am ok about not being thanked, why is it sometimes we feel the need to be thanked?

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.
Henry Ward Beecher