I can remember several Thanksgivings when family would gather around the table, and we would all share something for which we were thankful. Does your family have a similar tradition?
There are some perennial favorites. “Health” and “family” usually top people’s lists. So do positive events: Finding a new job, getting married, or simply being able to come together. Every year that I work for Copper Peak Logistics, I find that I am thankful, more and more, for what people do, every day, to make what we do possible.
For example, I find myself thankful for our team. They have had to weather a lot of change this year, and they have done it with calm, humility, and a strong sense of teamwork. I’m always amazed at how they make things happen.
I am also thankful for our winery partners. We’ve spent years forging some of these relationships, and it has been totally worth it. It’s truly energizing to work in an industry where everyone shares a passion.
Likewise, I am thankful for our vendors and outside partners. We understand all too well that you can’t always have all of the talent you need in-house. But you can forge solid partnerships with creative, capable people.
This year I am thankful, too, for our frontline workers—the nurses, doctors, and first responders who put their own well-being on the line, every day, for us. I am in awe of their bravery and their compassion.
Lastly, I am thankful for those scores of people who I haven’t even met, but who have had to work so hard this year to keep everything running. From the tech people who keep virtual meeting platforms going, to the manufacturers making face shields and barriers, to the folks who do that extra bit of cleaning at night at the local post offices, pharmacies, and grocery stores…We might not realize it every day, but our lives depend on so many people doing their jobs and doing them well.
Whenever I am feeling frustrated or down, I try to remember all these people, and it helps remind me of how truly lucky we are, even at this point in time. More importantly, it makes me want to work harder, knowing there are dozens of people who, in some way or another, depend on me doing my job and doing it well, too.
That’s what relationships look like: We work hard for each other, watch out for each other, and come together as one. When we do that, there is nothing we can’t do.
A Happy Thanksgiving to all, and here’s to a healthier and more prosperous year ahead.
Stacey Heuer,
VP of Operations