A Letter from Chris Suarez
A BALLOON AND A POLAR BEAR
Today’s blog post is brought to you by the word “appreciation”.
There are so many things in life that may cause us to stop and think about what or who we appreciate.
A loss of a loved one can bring up feelings of appreciation.
Achieving a goal can help us to build appreciation for the hard work that contributed to it.
Having a health event can cause us to appreciate what we had previously taken for granted.
A certain date that means something to us or reminds us of something or someone can bring on emotions of appreciation.
As I thought about appreciation and read a few studies on the emotion itself, I came across a variety of definitions, each one holding a different sense or meaning. Here are just a few:
“recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something”
“a full understanding of a situation”
“sensitive awareness”
“a feeling or expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude”
“an increase in value”
Each of those definitions holds some depth as we think about who or what we appreciate right now. One of the most important features of appreciation though is showing it. Looking for ways to demonstrate, communicate and duplicate appreciation is an action and a cycle that the world needs more of.
Appreciation is one of the world's most virtuous cycles. There are few things better than being the receiver of appreciation, and even fewer things better than being the deliverer. The emotion it creates is not dependent on size - whether a gift, a note, a call, a text. And don’t discount what you can do when showing appreciation in return for that acknowledgement, back to the giver.
Let me share just one example.
This week after avoiding it for more than two years, covid finally found me. More specifically, I found it. It was sitting next to me on my plane ride home from New York in the form of a gentleman coughing, blowing his nose, and at times breathing heavily over the course of a five hour flight. When you are two inches away for that length of time, you accept your fate. Those are the risks I assume when choosing to fly and I take those risks and move forward. I’ll leave any other opinions of that particular flight and preventable situation unwritten.
I had all but forgotten about the flight until three days later when I was certain I had seasonal allergies. Over the next 24 hours my “allergies” got progressively more severe, until on my way to an event that evening I suddenly - and thankfully - remembered my flight from New York, and drove to the nearest grocery store to find an at-home covid test. I had gone two years without even the need to take an at-home test. I fumbled through the process in the driver’s seat of my car and wasn’t surprised to see the two lines appear. I threw out the evidence and proceeded to drive home - calling my wife on the way to let her know I’d be packing some stuff and heading to the coast to quarantine to make sure no one else got sick.
Here is where the lesson arrives. On her way home with the kids, my wife stopped at the pharmacy to pick up all the vitamins I wouldn’t not have thought to get. She stopped at the produce store to get vegetables and fruits so I would have food for the next few days. Two things I incredibly appreciate as it made me feel appreciated. While in the store, Lilly, my daughter decided to go and find a “Get Well Soon” balloon and use some of her saved money to buy it for me. When she got home, she took one of her favorite stuffed animals and tied the balloon to it, and put it on my car for me to take while I quarantined an hour or so away. The balloon probably cost no more than $2, but that’s about half a week of earnings for her for doing her chores around the farm. (Please don’t send me notes about child labor and minimum wage.) Put in perspective, she was willing to take a half of a week’s earnings and give up one of her favorite possessions. It made me feel so appreciated as a father. It took so little for me to feel so appreciated and fulfilled.
Such a small thing perhaps created this massive sense of appreciation. That was four days ago. Every day since, I have sent her five or six photos of that little polar bear in random locations of the house following me around with the balloon still tied to his neck: he sat on the table, he sat on the bed, he looked out the window, he read some books. It was a simple way for me to show her how much I appreciated her thoughtful gift and display of appreciation. The emotions this $2 balloon and $5 polar bear has created is priceless. It was a cycle of appreciation. She runs to her old iPhone 6 every time it notifies her she has a new text from me. My wife let me know that she would run down the hallway and show her the photo of the balloon and the polar bear every time I texted her with a new one. She would comment about how much “papa just loves his balloon!” The cycle of appreciation is real. Too often we forget to start it, or we break it.
It made me realize just how much the world, our families, our loved ones, and our businesses need more appreciation. How do I make others feel as I did when I received the balloon and the polar bear?
This week just give someone a gift of appreciation.
This week just send someone a note of appreciation.
This week just call someone and communicate your appreciation.
This week just text someone and remind them of your appreciation.
This week give someone a balloon and a polar bear.
Chris
