Giving Thanks
Saturday, November 30th, 2013From Friday Mom – Erin:
Every year, a partner with my law firm sends a Thanksgiving message to the attorneys and staff. Each year, I look forward to that message, as it has always embodied the very spirit of the firm to me: a familial enclave in an otherwise fast-paced work environment. I have described its author to others as a grandfatherly figure, the patron saint of yesteryear, and the stalwart advocate of perpetuating the same strong values and culture that have caused so many, like him, to spend their entire careers here.
This year, there was some uncertainty as to whether such a message would be coming, and what, if anything, it might say. I was, admittedly, disheartened at the thought that I would not be embarking on our Thanksgiving travels with the same reflective message I’ve come to expect, respect, and admire. Fortunately, late afternoon on Tuesday, we did, in fact, receive our annual message. Abbreviated as it may have been, he encapsulated in a brief paragraph the same gratitude and mutual admiration for our friends and colleagues.
As Rory grows older, I look forward to sharing these and future such messages with him. I hope to be able to teach him the importance of not only being thankful to have a job, but also to be thankful and appreciative of those around you. Fostering that mutual respect, whether in school, work, or community affairs, allows you to accomplish so very much more than you might absent those personal connections. Even at a mere ten and a half months, we are already seeing Rory become part of a humming community of activity. I look forward to talking with him about Thanksgiving (like Wednesday mom), and watching him grow and understand what this holiday is all about.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!