“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”— Maya Angelou
Returning home today from a trip to the local grocery store, I began to think again about how we all benefit from the hard work put in by all the essential service workers.
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Sibling Essential Workers
One essential worker — the son of a family friend — comes to mind. He works tirelessly and selflessly at the grocery store each and every day. Anytime we make a trip to the store, this young man is hard at work. We enter through the double doors, and he warmly welcomes us in with a smile and a cheery hello.
As we exit the store, he gives us another huge smile and waves goodbye. This young man is there to ring up our purchases working hastily to expedite the process for us.
This teen works as a cashier, a bagger, and a store clerk, so he basically does a little bit of everything. We are impressed with his strong work ethic, positive attitude, and dedication.
His older sister worked as a barista at the Starbucks in the same grocery store earlier in the pandemic. Both of them are extraordinary kids — always willing to go the extra mile for the customers.
As an aside, they are lovely human beings as well. Hats off to their parents for having done such a marvelous job raising them.
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Fearful of Working in the Store
Last year was a challenging one for most people, but even more so for those on the front lines. I recall reading an article when we were in the throes of the pandemic last year about a teenager who worked in a grocery store to help out his family.
This poor kid was terrified to go to the grocery store every day because of COVID. Finally, he agreed to go to work there after a lengthy pep talk from his father. Reading his story brought me to tears.
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Final Thoughts
While many of us were told to stay home and stay safe, the essential workers had a responsibility during the pandemic to continue to keep everything running smoothly.
These young siblings and the rest of the front-line workers at grocery stores across the country sacrificed their own well-being and safety in this crisis.
Their selfless service to the greater community helped us all get through these difficult times. We owe them a debt of gratitude for all they have done for us throughout the pandemic. They are truly everyday heroes.
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This post was previously published on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock