Readers who make my day (Her Times)

At least a once a week -- sometimes more -- someone at the gym or the store or church or the library (etc.) tells me that they love my work.

I'd be a big, fat, giant liar if I said I didn't eat up every one of those comments. Who doesn't love to be appreciated? (seriously, I think it's the most important need that human being have...to feel that they matter).

Just last night a woman came up to me at Cardio/Strength class and said, "I just love Her Times magazine and I always read your organization column. I don't know how you come up with all those ideas."

Being recognized has it's draw backs, like at the gym when I'm sweating my way through a tough workout or when I'm in Wal-Mart and I snap at the kids. But, for the most part, I love the opportunity to interact with our readers. I love to get feedback and to hear that people are using the information I labor over (feeling like I matter...you know, feeding that basic human need).

Yesterday, I found these on my desk:

They were from a reader, Susan Griffith, who I had written about in a recent organization column.View image Susan -- who is one seriously gifted artist -- painted forget-me-nots and a butterfly on the coffee mug, then filled it with pretty yellow mums. The card that accompanied it was hand painted as well and included washing instructions (ah...women never forget the details!). How sweet is that?

It's not the first time I've gotten flowers -- I swear I have the world's best readers. Or, maybe it's just that I have a lot of women readers and women tend to be more thoughtful and gracious. Regardless, over the last decade, I've gotten more than my share of flowers, candy, cookies and cards from readers I've helped in some way or another.

I save the cards. I have a file labeled "thank you" where I tuck away all the nice cards and letters people have sent me. On a bad day at work -- the kind that finds one crying in the bathroom or updating the resume -- I'll dig the file out and remember why I love my job -- and my readers.

I wish that everyone could be recognized for their work. The nature of my work is highly visible, but I know most don't receive recognition for their contributions -- be that keeping the courthouse halls clean or fixing the heater in the doctor's office -- so I take a cue from my readers and try always to be appreciative and gracious to those who help me. I write a lot of thank you notes and I will go out of my way to reward someone who has given me great customer service.

A little gratitude goes a long way -- and it makes everyone feel great.