The coronavirus pandemic has permanently changed all of our lives, but certainly none more than yours. We are living through a grueling period in history. Since the moment the pandemic entered our lives, you accepted the challenge to support the collective whole. You have made countless sacrifices to commit to your duties, and gracefully displayed your servant’s heart in the process. None of us saw this coming. I imagine you had no idea you would serve during a global pandemic.
Perhaps you’re a healthcare worker. If so, you are the backbone of our healthcare system. Day in and day out, you put your life on the line to serve others, particularly those who are sick, thus increasing your chances of contracting the virus. Maybe you tested positive for COVID-19 already. Depending on where you work, you may have witnessed events that will live with you forever. You may have stood in the room while a patient took their last breath because of COVID-19. No matter what type of healthcare worker you are, your life has been changed forever by our unexpected fate. This challenging time does not define you, so give yourself grace. Work through the trauma and the stress this pandemic has caused you. Take care of yourself because we cannot do this without you.
Perhaps you’re a grocery store clerk reading this. You work with customers all the time, but your customer interactions have changed significantly. You witnessed the sense of panic that flooded the nation during the first few weeks of the pandemic. You watched stocked store aisles empty within minutes. You may have seen shoppers breakdown upon seeing the shelves empty. You work tirelessly to serve customers, even if that means it interferes with your scheduled break or the end of your shift. You have made my life easier during this time, and I can never repay you for that. I salute you.
Perhaps you’re a first responder or a law enforcement officer. Your goal has always been to keep the community safe. Now, you’ve been forced to risk your health to do so. Maybe your colleagues have fallen ill with coronavirus, and you’ve had to cover for them out in the field. You have always known that your job comes with a heightened amount of risk, but even more so now. I applaud your level of service and dedication.
Perhaps you’re a social worker. You often regularly work with vulnerable populations, and your work didn’t stop because of the coronavirus. You may have had to do your job from a distance, causing challenges for both you and your clients. You probably worry about your clients more now than you ever did before, but you continue to offer them support, even if you are feeling drained yourself.
Perhaps you are a mailperson, bus driver, teller, maintenance provider, or an employee of a nursing home facility. Maybe you are serving on the frontlines and possess a completely different title I have not mentioned. No matter where you are serving on the front lines, your service is invaluable and crucial to how we survive this.
Words, nor actions, will ever be able to express the amount of gratitude I have for you. Years from now, I hope we share the stories of the frontline workers who saved us. You are our everyday heroes. Long after the pandemic passes, I hope we as a nation honor and appreciate you for all that you have done. COVID-19 has permanently changed all of our lives, but certainly none more than yours, and for that, we can never repay you.
Thank you!
Follow us here and subscribe here for all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.
Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffington here.