Who matters most

Years ago, I was talking with a young woman and I heard her say something which I’ve heard a lot of people say “I’m just a mom… " Whoa, hold up. Has she never seen the survey that comes out every year about how much moms should be paid? They do everything – cooking, cleaning, taxi service, doctoring boo-boos. And most of the time they do all of this without a single thank you from anyone. But moms aren’t the only ones who are guilty of putting themselves down this way. I’ve heard janitors, secretaries, baristas, waitresses and others do it also. Have you ever been to a building and said thank you to the cleaning staff because of how great the place looked? No? Why not? What would happen if the bathroom was never cleaned, the floors never swept? Nope, no ‘just a’ about being a janitor. What about a secretary or office manager? Phones going unanswered. People left to stare at the wall rather than be ushered into their meeting. How would you get your groceries without the people who stock the shelves? Or the truck-drivers who bring the items to the stores each day or two? Without the least-of-these kind of people the world would fall apart. Thus, there are truly no least-of-these kind of people out there. In fact, I’ve always thought moms, janitors, secretaries, waitresses, cooks, stock people, truck-drivers, cashiers, teachers, nurses, etc. rule the world.

And in case anyone out there doesn’t agree with me yet, take a look at what’s happening right now. As we shifted everything in our lives, we can see things in a different lens. Once we had a world where we were encouraged to live a life of grand excess. Now we have a world with life consisting only of small steps. Thus we can see who matters. Some of us don’t have the luxury of choice to stay home. Some of us don’t have the luxury of choice to leave home. Yes, there are those who’s jobs are so vital all of our lives depend on them. And for families with health concerns, they're forced to stay home until this is over. But the risk to those who must work right now should never be taken for granted. Take a look at the number of frontline workers getting sick and you’ll agree with that I’m sure.

 So thank you to Willie, the guy at the grocery store I get curbside delivery from. While I couldn’t see his face very well the other day because of the mask, I’m sure he was all smiles. Thanks to all of the others who’ve also brought my items out. None of the rest of you have told me your names but I do appreciate the work you do. Allowing me to get my groceries without going into the store is such a relief right now. And thank you, Thelma, the woman from my pharmacy. She always calls when the prescriptions are ready. Then somehow magically always knows about when I’ll pull into the parking lot. There she stands, my order in hand, so I won’t have to wait or go thru the drive-thru. Overly thoughtful of her, not sure how many other customers get this royal treatment. Thank you Ben, my doctor. I was sick, and was rather freaked out about the idea of walking into the doctor’s office. He figured out what was going on and all while on a video chat. So much easier than risking going into the office. Thank you Millie, my nurse practitioner. She’s always there when I need her, even if it’s just to chat on the phone. Thank you to all of the many people who drive for the various delivery services. I’ve come to rely on ordering restaurant meals for delivery several days a week. My food always arrives quickly, hot, undamaged and with a smile. Thank you to those cooks and other staff at those restaurants I order from. While I don’t see you because I always use delivery, I do know you're the ones making the delicious food I eat so often. Thank you to the many different people who deliver the mail each day. I don’t get much in the mail but I still do need to get all those packages. I don’t know if you liked my decorated ‘thank you’ mailbox the other week, but it’s the thought that counts. Thanks to all of the people at the various online companies I order from. You pack my items and send them on their merry way. I'm relying on this more than ever now that so many stores are closed. Thank you to the various people who pick up the garbage each week. Who ever notices them? I bet the answer is nobody. Yet, each Friday morning, usually long before I get up, my garbage can is magically emptied. The pile of leaves and other lawn waste disappears. So wonderful.

Yes, there are many others I’m sure I missed. There are teachers, professors, physical therapists, personal trainers, firemen, policemen and others who are trying their best to make life easier for those in their circle of influence. Do people acknowledge this? Does anyone say a word of gratitude? Probably not. However, I, unlike most people, tend to say ‘thank you’ or use some other kind word on a regular basis. It doesn’t take a crisis for me to be reminded of who’s the most import person in a room. My hope is this experience has taught all of us a lesson or two. For example: Wants and needs aren’t the same thing. And sometimes, okay, maybe most of the time, the janitor is more important than the CEO. So let’s all stand up and give a shout and a cheer for those workers on the frontlines. Give a little love and appreciation to those people who make the world go round. And say from the bottom of our hearts THANK YOU!