Who have you thanked today?
Who have you thanked today?
by Hearts of Hope | June 2, 2020 | Gratitude, Healing, Hope
Every day at 11 am, I have a reminder on my phone that says “who have you thanked today?” It’s something I’ve done for years and, when I hear the chime sound, I turn to the person closest to me and thank them for all they do. If no one’s around, I’ll try to text or email. It’s become a habit and it’s something I really enjoy. Often, there’s no specific action or event I’m thankful for other than to remember all the important people who make my life special. Vic from UPS is one of those people who make life special. Specifically, Vic is someone who makes everyone at Hearts of Hope feel special.
In our Florida studio, we have a small crew of incredible volunteers who roll out, cut out and prepare clay hearts for firing. They help with everything from creating specialty items, checking Hearts of Hope when they’re returned and packaging kits to be shipped all over the country. Here’s where Vic comes in. Every day at about 11:30 am Vic is making his rounds and as he approaches our studio, he honks the horn – twice. That’s his signal that says “got anything to be picked up?” On some days, he’s making a delivery and always stops to chat for a minute or two.
Like all other organizations, COVID-19 has impacted us. In the days before we closed our studio, we tried to order quantities of supplies to cover us in case deliveries were interrupted by the pandemic. In those first days, mini kits were shipping out by the dozens every day. It was challenging trying to keep everything organized and on time. Vic came to the rescue. He arranged to have a rep lower our shipping rates, gave us label envelopes and waited for packages as we prepared labels. All this while dealing with his own stress and worry about COVID-19.
As a society, we have redefined heroes or at least expanded our definitions. We now include every worker in healthcare systems, emergency first responders, restaurant workers, sanitation workers and those who drive the trucks that deliver supplies to make our lives livable. Most of these people never aspired to be heroes and now more than ever find themselves in harm’s way. And – they do their jobs, to the very best of their ability, anyway. Today, a chime sounded at 11 am and all I could think about were heroes. So much to be thankful for today.
Judith Pedersen, Founder and Executive Director
