you're welcome

Have you ever been in an ordinary run-of-the-mill conversation and found yourself suddenly floored by something you just said?

This happens to me frequently when I'm with close friends, but it's usually in the context of saying something I probably should have run thru the filter first, or saying something to be funny and then joking about, "oh, did I just say that out loud?"  But today it happened with two simple words that I've said thousands of times before without thinking about them at all:

"You're welcome."

It's just what you say, when someone says "thank you," right?  But think for a minute about what those two words mean when you put them together outside of the generic, rote conversation in which you usually find them.  "You're welcome."

You - are welcome.  You're welcome.

Wow.

What does that mean?  In French, it's "bienvenue," which translates literally to "good coming."  You've come well; it's well that you came?  I was glad to do what you're thanking me for because I'm happy you're here, that you're a part of my life.

You're welcome here.


My heart's posture toward you is one of welcome.

We say it to a lot of people, strangers and friends alike.  But do we mean it?

Food for thought.  :)