The Olympics and the athletes' stories are inspiring, but there have been some announcers who seem to imply that anything less than a gold medal is bordering on failure. I'm personally impressed by all of the participants, whether they win a medal or not. And then there are the rest of us, average people doing the best that they can in life, who will probably never be in a position to win public accolades and have their perseverance and successes praised. With that in mind, today I am awarding virtual medals to three people who I think deserve some recognition. I've thanked them in person; I only wish I could present them with real medals as a symbol for others to see.
To the empathetic deputy in the Register of Wills office in Northampton County. She was welcoming, pleasant, kinder than she needed to be, and knew just how to conduct our transaction efficiently, even when I got a little unexpectedly emotional.
To the friend who made baked macaroni and cheese for me, knowing that it is my favorite. This was an even bigger deal than simply providing food for a friend, because her son is severely allergic to dairy, so I know she had to clean her kitchen thoroughly afterwards to remove all traces of milk protein.
To Justin's boss' assistant. There are normally two other people working on the ranch with Justin, but for unavoidable reasons, he is working by himself for a week and a half. The assistant is a kind and thoughtful woman who has set safety guidelines for Justin during this time (like no chain-saw use) and is having him text her at the end of each day so she knows he is safe. He's also texting me, but she's closer than I am and will be there within 30 minutes if he has any problems. She and his boss are visiting Justin this weekend at the ranch to take him out to dinner and provide some human contact. It's not often that an employer treats you like family, and I am grateful for the care and concern for my son.
Here's to all the people that deserve medals every day, even though they may not ever be up on a podium to receive them.
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I love this post! Hooray for medals for the unsung heroes in the world who do simple things to make our lives happier.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Bonny! There are people everywhere who are kind and considerate at times when they have their own troubles, and you are right, they deserve recognition for their behavior and thoughtfulness. I hope you have a lot of people like this in your life!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Becky! There are so many average people in the middle of their own struggles and sometimes you catch a glimpse of that while they are working to make your life better. Medals may not help, but a little recognition is often nice.
DeleteWhat a wonderful post. I think it's well worth remembering those who just go along and do their thing every day once in a while. There are some days when just making it through is the reward.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing to recognize and acknowledge those who are making life a little better with simple acts of kindness.
ReplyDeleteBravo to these people for making a difference!
ReplyDeleteYou deserve a gold for giving recognition to people who live lives in a way that respects others in caring and giving ways. Nicely said, Bonny!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post! I watched an interview with an olympic athlete who was discussing her struggle with anxiety associated with her goal to be the "best in the world." She said she was plagued by anxious thoughts that someone else might get the gold and that her failure would be a result of not working hard enough to win. What kind of message are we giving our young people? I love your acknowledgement of some true gold medal winners!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Wouldn't it be fun if we could carry around a handful of medals in our purses (or knitting bags) and hand them out to the deserving people we encounter throughout our days?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more! Here's to lots and lots of medalists coming your way in 2018.
ReplyDeleteBRAVO!!!! I am so happy that you've encountered such award-winning performances in your life this week. I'm looking forward to more Bonny Medal Ceremonies!
ReplyDelete(And I think we'd all be better off watching the Olympics without the commentators. My goodness. They have such horrible attitudes about the whole thing, don't they?)
This is such a happy post Bonny - thank you! Your experiences have been wonderful, and (being a mother) I can imagine how grateful you must feel for the kindness of the folks Justin works with at the ranch.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a feel-good post! I love it!
ReplyDeleteA heart full of thankfulness is a happy heart indeed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to say it!
DeleteWhat a nice reminder that there are many medalists among us. Kindness and thoughtfulness is a good way of life.
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite Olympic post, Bonny -thank you! I'd like to add my cheers for the folks looking out for Justin on the ranch. The world needs more decent people doing decent things.
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