2021 – Hope smiles…..

Hello All,

The ball just dropped in Times Square  – 2021 has arrived! Auld Lang Syne has been sung. Bob is in the bed asleep with Gene, who is softly purring. George, Geoffrey and I were sitting on the couch and celebrated…..very quietly! We were glad to see the end of 2020!

I have to start this with my favorite feel good story of the week. Have you heard of “Taco Bell Joe”? 70-year old Joe DeCicco is a Taco Bell employee in South Daytona, Florida. He has worked at the drive-through window for over 20 years. He is so loved by his customers. He calls his customers his friends, remembers them by name – and he is evidently always smiling! Tricia Phillippi started a Facebook group to support the area’s local restaurants, many of which were struggling. She asked members of the Facebook group “to nominate their local favorite in the service industry”, and she planned for that individual to win a $50.00 gift card. The very first nomination was for Taco Bell Joe…..and many, many more nominations for Joe followed! His customers called him a “legend”, talked about their love for him. One couple talked about how they went to Taco Bell’s drive-through when they had a bad day because Joe “lifted their spirits”. Another family shared they bring their out-of-town guests to meet him!

Based on this abundance of love, Ms. Phillippi launched a Facebook fund raiser and invited people to donate so Taco Bell Joe could be surprised with a big tip for the holidays. More than 300 people donated. She was able to present a check to Joe for $6,095.00! Joe stated “This job has been a wonderful blessing to me. it has brought out the best in me. I have wonderful customers, they give me strength, they give me wisdom, the give me vitality. And these wonderful people are the true meaning of Christmas.” I agree. I also think Taco Bell Joe keeps Christmas in his heart year round!

2020 has truly been “the times that try men’s souls” – actually I meant “tried”, but did not want to misquote Thomas Paine who wrote this in “The American Crisis”. When he wrote this on December 23, 1776, he was talking about the war being waged with Britain. In 2020, we have waged wars with things we could not see, like Covid 19,  and things that we could see, like social inequities and injustices, like hate – and we could and still do feel the significant impact of all of them. We have lost over 340,000 people to Covid 19 in the United States, and probably more than that who we are not even aware of. It is staggering.

However, today starts a new year, a new beginning.  The words of Alfred Tennyson are important – “Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘It will be happier'”.  We have new vaccines – we have new ideas about how to conquer social inequities – we have changing visions about who we are and what we can do. I truly believe that we are poised to move forward. As author Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous New Year by believing.”

Though 2020 has been difficult, I have been reminded of a lot and have learned a lot. I have been reminded about the incredible importance of family (both by blood and chosen), and as a dear friend said “my true legacy is the group waiting for me to come home”. I have been reminded that Bob and I love each other, and we like each other too! This may have been the most concentrated amount of time we have ever spent together! (I am quite sure I have annoyed him a fair amount too!)

I have learned that I can be patient. I have learned how to slow down.  I have learned more about the entire political process. I have read about the inspirational lives of John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I have sought out different perspectives of social issues, and have begun to explore more ways to make a difference.

I am so thankful to have a new year! And in the words of Frank Sinatra – “The best is yet to come.”

Happy New Year! Let’s celebrate 2021!

Phyl

P.S. By the summer I hope I will be able to see people’s whole faces…..and will be able to hug freely!