Bits of Gratitude
When Bob passed away this past summer, I scrapped some planned posts to take a couple of weeks off, and one of those writings was going to be focused on finding gratitude for the little things even when hard things are happening. I am going to condense some of those moments here so that they don’t get left behind:
Arlene:
To the kind sister-in-law I have not yet met in person, my heart was touched that you not only cared enough to make Hannah and I water tumblers, but that you cared enough to learn about and customize them with things that we are interested in. And it was very sweet of you to send an eye shadow palette with it- both were very thoughtful touches that brought more sparkle to my days and my heart. Thank you <3
My Andy:
My love, I can’t tell you enough how much it meant to me that you remembered a story told so long ago about a trip to Mexico with my grandparents and great Aunts and Uncles, where I learned that I just plain liked Mexican produced coke in a glass bottle better. For seeing this in a store this past summer and bringing it home, for noticing ways to help me feel loved and special in the little things, you have my gratitude and so much more. <3
An Unnamed Neighbor We’ve Never Met Before:
For not just coming up to check on us when Tony was having a melt down during community safety a few months ago, but asking if the ice cream sandwiches you had in your house might help, you have my thanks. So many people stop and stare, a very few ask if we are OK, but hardly anyone asks if we need help. Thank you. <3
Exmo Lex:
*Please note, if you are a member of the church I resigned membership from last year, and would prefer not to read a note of gratitude to someone who publicly identifies as an apostate, you have my blessing to honor your own comfort level and skip this upcoming paragraph. While I love and will continue to respect each of you and your own beliefs, I feel very passionately about what I did and I am confident that it was the right choice for me personally, so it should be understandable that I would have no problem communicating with other people who also left.
Lex, when I wrote you that e-mail several months ago, I didn’t expect you to write me back. Thank you for reading my hurt about what was happening at the time and giving me a brief moment of understanding for what I was going through. I know we have not written since, and I wouldn’t expect you to, but it was a short but sufficient life-line of compassion that I have held on to as I slog through pandemic conditions that make it even harder to meet more people who are, as you put it, in a similar position. Thank you for caring enough to take the time to respond <3
Some Reading To Consider:
My thoughts on this article are pretty brief. The article discusses a decades old law making it legal in the United States to pay disabled employees an amount lower than minimum wage. I think the issues being discussed in this article are complicated, because, as some of those interviewed point out, some individuals with significant impairments aren’t able to find employment in other venues. However, I feel like this is something that in far too many cases might amount to taking advantage of others, and I really think each of us should carefully examine our hearts and ask what we would want if we were in that position ourselves. A living wage does a lot to contribute to a life of meaning and dignity for everyone, and if someone is capable of contributing work that provides value to others, their disability shouldn’t be used as an excuse to devalue their efforts.
“What Makes AMZDiscover the Best Reviewer ‘Mining’ Tool for Amazon Sellers?”, by AMZDiscover
So, just a brief history lesson for those of you new to this blog. I used to shop almost exclusively at Amazon when Tony was younger because of the severity of his symptoms, and my reviews of our family’s purchases under our profile at one point landed me in their top 100 reviewers. Nearly three years ago, Amazon sent me an e-mail saying that they had found me guilty of writing reviews for compensation, and I actually was not doing that. Off topic? Sometimes yes. Oversharing? Sometimes yes. Rambling Reviews of Epic Length? Sometimes yes. Compensated? Definitely Not. Really I can’t imagine anybody paying for some of that crazy, TBH. I had strong feelings about the way the situation was handled and I stopped shopping there (they did not take away my review privileges, I had other concerns). Two weeks after my last purchase I put up one of my private e-mail addresses on our family’s profile (we never had one up there previously) so that other customers could contact me with questions if needed. This is an e-mail address that was never any place public before or since. One week later, I took it down because all I was getting were vendor requests for reviews, many of them detailing ways to get reimbursed and still show up as a “Verified Reviewer.” And, the occasional curiosity seeker who wanted to know why I wrote all of those reviews. Let’s not forget those. I’ve been getting these types of e-mails ever since, to the tune of several hundred.
This week I started getting requests citing AMZDiscover as the place my e-mail address was obtained from (two in as many days). I of course sent AMZDiscover an e-mail asking that my e-mail address be removed from their website (which has still not been responded to), but then I read this blog post from their organization and all I can say is this:
AMZDiscover, I am not you or your customers’ “gold mine.” Other families who have no choice but to heavily utilize on-line shopping are not your “gold mine.” Perhaps it is naïve, but I personally would prefer to be seen as a person of value outside of what I could spend and not a potential cash cow. While I was pretty upset about the way Team Amazon handled our particular situation, the truth is, it was an honor to help other customers there and if Amazon had handled things just a bit differently with me, I’d probably still be shopping there and I have no desire to hurt any of their employees, which is why I’ve never put anyone involved with this situation publicly on blast by name. All of that money that I spent was earned by the sweat and work of my husband and it went on a credit card…a credit card that we pay on, BTW. I was once in a class where someone called me out for my Amazon spending. A lot of what I bought were therapy supplies, and you know what? I felt then and I feel now like what I was buying was hope. A chance for our son and our family to see him have a better future than he otherwise could. I was doing most of his therapy work at the time, those supplies were for either his other therapists to use in home or for me and what I did with him.
For my readers, I know at least one other person who reads my blog that has received e-mails from people wanting reviews. Each of you should be aware companies like these are out there and potentially selling your info, seeing you as a potential golden goose of sorts. For me, this company’s blog post was just a rotten egg.
