The radio jingle for Brylcream was, “a little dab will do ya.” I often heard it as a child when the radio was the only electronic news medium in our home.
The dictionary defines a dab as “a quick, light touch, or a pat with something soft.” A dab is gentle and friendly. A poke, on the other hand, is defined as “a jab or something pointed.”
Perhaps we get and give too many pokes in life, and don’t receive enough dabs?
A dab is a kind hello. A dab is the expression of appreciation for something someone did, when they likely didn’t expect to hear any response.
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When you receive a dab in life, it reminds you that someone is thinking of you.
Some people are wonderful dabbers. They pass on positive comments when least expected. One person in my community does this regularly. Several times over the years, a brief note or card has arrived in my mail from her, expressing positive feelings about me and what I was doing, or a word of support for problems I was experiencing. These came unexpectedly and they meant a lot.
Dabbers don’t want or demand attention. They just enjoy sharing with others their positive feelings. They don’t spend a lot of time or energy in what they do, but their comments, calls or brief notes provide a lot of encouragement to those who receive them. Dabbers are like the warmth of the sunshine. You can’t label it, you can’t touch it, but it is there and it feels wonderful.
When did someone last do something that you appreciated? Did someone help you in a quiet way? Did you appreciate what he or she did? Then consider passing a dab their way, a comment of appreciation, an acknowledgement of what she did.
Don’t be gushy or overdo it. Otherwise your dab will turn into a gob and the person may become embarrassed or self-conscious.
