A moment of appreciation

Thursday, May 3^rd around lunchtime several youth service providers came out to participate in the “Thank a Youth Worker Day” freeze flash mob. As I stood on the street corner, frozen with my “Thank a Youth Worker Day” sign held up in front of my face, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of thank yous spoken by Indianapolis Hoosiers passing by. In the weeks since then, I have reflected on the importance of thanking those who work for our youth, for our disabled, for our homeless, for our veterans; the importance of thanking everyone who works hard. The unfortunate reality is that, although the community at large is appreciative of our work, our societal norms push workers to the point of exhaustion. Saying a simple thank you can be an amazingly powerful gesture, but reminding one another to take some time just for relaxation can save lives. So THANK YOU to everyone who works passionately for others – now please take a hot bath, read a novel, get a massage, go hiking, watch a movie, take a siesta, and just RELAX. You deserve it.