Gratitude at Work

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on what truly matters and express gratitude for the people who make life better. While family, friends, my dogs and pumpkin pie are staples of my Thanksgiving gratitude list, this year, I want to shine a spotlight on another group of people who mean a lot to me — my coworkers at the library!

Work is where we spend a significant portion of our lives, and let’s face it — the people we work with play a big role in how we feel about our jobs. I’m incredibly thankful to work alongside people who not only make my days productive but also enjoyable. They’re the ones who lend a listening ear during stressful moments, celebrate small and large victories and put up with my inability to figure out how to correctly program the library’s lighting system.

One of the greatest things about our library staff is how we come together to tackle challenges. Whether it’s figuring out why the 3D printer won’t print, coming up with a name for a library podcast, understanding the chemistry of mixing glazes or simply covering for each other when life happens, the sense of teamwork we share is something I never take for granted.

One of the great things about working in a library is that we get to learn new things pretty much every day. It has constantly amazed me over the last year as I’ve watched our staff take on the challenge of our MakeIT Place equipment. We have all learned so much more than we ever expected and we’ll probably never be done. We’ve also given each other room to fail, knowing that sometimes failing is the best path towards learning.

This Thanksgiving, I raise a toast to our library staff — Alison, Beth, Jenisa, LeAnn, Tammy, Linda, Mia, Lydia, Abby, Cassandra and Kirk: thank you for your support, your humor, and your unwavering team spirit. You make work not just bearable but meaningful. I’m grateful for each of you and all that you bring to the table — every single day. It’s been fun collecting these pictures of learning in action — something new I’ve learned today is that one of Tammy’s many talents is avoiding getting her picture taken!

As we head into the holiday season, I encourage everyone reading this to take a moment and appreciate the people who make your work life brighter. Sometimes, a simple "thank you" can go a long way in making someone’s day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all — may your hearts be full of gratitude, and your plates full of pie!