I have just parked my metallic blue Chevy in between two parallel lines at the Foodtown lot. As I get ready to brave our new reality, I can’t help but think that Halloween has arrived much earlier this year, and we have all inexplicably selected the same costumes to wear while grocery shopping.
My disposable gloves are on, my mask is covering my nose and mouth, but my eye glasses instantly fog up and I feel uncomfortably warm. A thought crosses my mind and I wonder how our essential workers in hospitals, supermarkets and delivery companies make these sacrifices for us while working long hours without complaining. I realize without a shadow of a doubt, that I need a refresher course of what gratitude really means.
As a young girl, I have vivid memories of my Mom and Dad teaching me to be thankful and appreciative of even the smallest of gestures. I am confident that the kindness and love I showered on Barney daily didn’t go unrecognized, but being within my inner circle, that type of love came about effortlessly.
How can we show our gratitude to others on a broader basis? When we are finally able to take off our own masks, let’s take a deeper look inward on how we can make a difference going forward. Empathy, compassion and a simple “thank you” can change the course of not only someone else’s day, but our day as well.
If the pandemic teaches us anything at all, the lesson we should all retain is simple. Giving thanks each and every day should guide us until we take our last breath.
