Dear Vic,
Every week, I send out a letter of appreciation. Usually, my letters are in private but I thought I’d try something new and post in public. If anything, my intention is to reinforce the positive effect you have on others.
You and I connected about a year ago during my journey to Ironman Texas. There was a storm of emotionally charged exchanges on whether a group of first-time-Ironpersons should do something about that last 18. We were scared about the course, nervous about the weather and feeling less worthy of the ‘finisher’ title with that last 18 being in question. Having such a big heart, you were scared for us. I reached out to you (in private) seeking help and support. I acknowledged your concern, reminded you of the craziness of being a first-timer and sought your expertise to solve our problem… You were like our Ironman Papabear.
Over the last 7-8 months, I’ve seen additional emotionally charged exchanges related to your family, community, and most recently politics. (we cannot blame taper week). What I admire most about your approach is your ability to diffuse situations. Thank you for being an example of how to positively use emotions. Thank you for inviting others to expand their thinking. Thank you for always offering another perspective. Thank you for caring so much about others. Thank you for being heart-centered. Thank you for converting emotion into academic discussions.
Personally, I get two sides of the spectrum. I either get “Jess you are so aggressive” or “Jess you are so passionate”. I spent a considerable amount of 2016 working on myself in hopes to ‘soften’ my aggressive side. I HATE when people call my demeanor aggressive. The only thing I’m aggressive about is setting and crushing goals. hahaha. I like to think I handle others with care but I guess it’s always good to keep things in check. I digress. This is about you. You have been a consistent example of how other ‘passionate’ people can be super effective.
Thank you for allowing me into your world. Thank you for helping me better understand (or own) parts of myself.
With love to you and your family,
Jess
#LetterOfGratitude