Anybody can appreciate the value of kindness, and extending a sense of gratitude goes a long way to encouraging this wonderful quality. In the hectic grind of our daily lives, however, many of us may not have the time or wherewithal to say thank you when an action warrants it.

This may seem like a trivial issue that is not worth worrying over, but new research has found that it may be more important than people may realize, especially when it involves romantic relationships with our partners.

This is rooted in the fact that humans are social creatures who at one time or another are dependent on each other for various needs, both practical and emotional. However, acts of kindness from another person are not always given the credit they are due, or our reaction can be misinterpreted. This can complicate any relationship, but is particularly relevant when it involves a life partner or spouse.

In other words, expressing gratitude for an act of kindness benefits both the giver and the receiver in a way that helps to solidify the relationship. This, in turn, confirms who really cares about us and thereby strengthens the bond between two people.

To arrive at these conclusions, which were published in the journal Personal Relationships, researchers followed over 65 couples who were involved in committed relationships and reported a certain level of satisfaction. Daily changes in relationship status was monitored and small rises and drops in "relationship quality" were measured in relation to acts of kindness and the subsequent expression of gratitude for these gestures.

What they found was that the effect of expression of gratitude were noticeable even after a day had passed, suggesting that relationships derive some benefit from them. The authors also suggest that taking the time to be thankful helped not only relationships in good standing, but ones that were having some problems, as well. In other words, just taking the time to say thank you helped to support a connection that two people might have.

Interestingly, it was important how the actions were interpreted. In other words, when acts of kindness resulted in a person feeling indebted to the other person, it did not have the same positive effect. Perhaps because it led to feeling the need to reciprocate, indebtedness may have a functional role in keeping relationships moving along, but they do not contribute to the strength of the bond over the long haul.

It therefore seems that sincere gratitude alone is effective in helping both people truly appreciate the moment. As a result, gratitude is more likely to give a special meaning to the action and consequently have a positive effect on the personal interaction.

The take home message from all is to appreciate the value of your relationships, and to express this appreciation by not only being nice to the people in your life, but to truly appreciate it when they are being nice to you. This can not only inform the people around you that you value their efforts, but it can add meaning to the little everyday events in your life, especially when it involves the ones you love.