BREATHE

Wow. A year. 

Here in Michigan we just passed the full year mark where schools closed. We are approaching the full year mark where most businesses closed for 9 weeks. We just passed the year mark that my husband's office closed and he started working from home, and still is. We are a handful of days from the year mark where the small store I work at closed their doors and I started taking unemployment for the first time in my life. 

What a year. 

We received a key order today and there was a note written by the customer. She wrote, "I loved your blog. That is what got me to order from you."

My first thought was, "WHOA. SOMEONE READ MY BLOG." It's kind of mind boggling actually. I mean, it's a blog on a tiny website that cuts keys for office equipment. Not exactly where you think you are going to find anything remotely interesting to read. But it's here because my husband is a website guy and has always said blogging helps any business. Being a tech guy with English as his second language doesn't make him a candidate for writing, so here I am...putting my English degree to use after all these years. 

On the off chance there are others reading along with the speech therapist in Lansing, Michigan I thank you. And thank you to you, speech therapist, for letting me know that you read the blog and have enjoyed it. Your comment was a breath of happiness and we all need to breathe. 

Are you holding your breath? I usually don't get like this, but I am right now. If you are holding your breath, take a minute and breathe. Deep breath in and out. Repeat. Take a minute of calm. 

Because whether you are a teacher, a healthcare provider, an Uber driver, a grocery store clerk, a restaurant employee, a small business owner...and on and on....you have had a tough year. Those little moments of joy mean more these days than ever before. So pass a compliment where you can. Seek out a kindness you can do for someone. If you are a small business owner, write a note to a customer thanking them for their business. When you are the customer, let the business know that you see the care, extra attention, and expense, and hard work they have been doing to care for customers and survive this past year. 

We all know what we need is more kindness right now. Politics has gone crazy. Opinions on healthcare have gone bonkers. People have lost their minds over the last year....but we don't have to. Let's just be human and get through this. 

Okay, I'm a bit cheesy in this blog and I hate cheesy and cliche. So I'm done with that. But I'm not done smiling because... someone read my blog!