Tuesday was supposed to be a day off.
At least that’s what everyone told me.
As I approached my 60th birthday, friends, family, and my team encouraged me to take my birthday off and do something I enjoy most. They told me to slow down, relax, celebrate, and take some time for myself before beginning a new decade.
It sounded like a good plan.
But on Monday evening, something happened that reminded me how much I love what I do.
I arrived early for yoga class and sat in my car catching up on emails and text messages while I waited for class to begin.
Then my phone rang.
I answered.
On the other end was a woman who was clearly overwhelmed. Through tears, frustration, and moments of panic, she explained that she had suffered a serious back injury several months ago. She was struggling to navigate a complicated healthcare system and was desperately looking for help.
As I listened, I realized she was looking for a service that our company does not provide.
Technically, that could have been the end of the conversation.
I could have politely explained that we were not the right provider and wished her the best.
Instead, we talked.
For nearly forty minutes, I listened. She cried. She vented. She asked questions. Together, we tried to make sense of her situation and identify what resources might be available to her.
Eventually, I had to leave for yoga class, but before hanging up, I promised her I would call her back afterward.
On my drive home, I made a few calls to see if I could identify organizations and resources that might help. Later that evening, while preparing dinner, I called her back as promised.
We talked for another forty minutes.
By then, her situation had not changed, but something else had.
She was calmer.
She sounded more hopeful.
Most importantly, she no longer felt alone.
The next morning, one of my phenomenal teammates followed up with her, providing additional guidance, resources, and reassurance.
We still could not provide the service she needed.
She was never going to become a client of ours.
There was no admission, no business opportunity, no revenue, and no expectation of anything in return.
Yet my teammate spent the time helping her anyway.
And that meant a lot to me.
She was incredibly grateful.
But as I reflected on the experience, I realized something.
The people around me had encouraged me to spend my birthday doing something I enjoy most.
And in many ways, I already had.
Helping that woman brought me genuine happiness.
Not because there was anything in it for us.
Not because she became a client.
Not because anyone was keeping score.
Simply because someone needed help.
And sometimes that is reason enough.
Somewhere during those conversations, I was reminded how blessed I am.
I have a lot of happy places in my life.
My family is one of them.
My friends are one of them.
Travel is one of them.
Yoga is one of them.
And my work is one of them too.
I genuinely love what I do.
Helping people navigate difficult situations, connecting them with resources, solving problems, offering guidance, and sometimes simply listening reminds me why I chose this path many years ago.
It also reminded me why, over the years, I have answered calls after hours, on weekends, while traveling, during vacations, and yes, even a handful of midnight calls along the way.
It’s why I have given rides to team members early in the morning when they needed help getting to work.
It’s why, I delivered breakfast and pastries to a client every Saturday morning for six months, and many Sundays as well.
It’s why I have always believed that caring for people goes beyond job descriptions, schedules, and business hours.
Not because I have to.
Not because it is expected.
But because every phone call is a person.
Every referral is a family.
Every conversation is someone trying to navigate uncertainty, illness, aging, fear, loss, or change.
And every person deserves compassion, respect, and someone willing to listen.
So on Tuesday morning, my 60th birthday, I showed up at the office with breakfast for the team.
The questions started immediately.
“What are you doing here?”
“Weren’t you supposed to take the day off?”
“Why are you working on your birthday?”
I smiled and told them this story.
And the more I reflected on it, the more I realized that my birthday was exactly what it needed to be.
I spent it surrounded by my work family, celebrating my birthday alongside one of my teammates. We shared breakfast, laughter, stories, and gratitude for another year of life.
Honestly, I could not have asked for a better place to be.
The truth is, I wasn’t there because I had to be.
I was there because Monday night reminded me how fortunate I am.
Many people spend their lives searching for work that brings them purpose and fulfillment.
I have been fortunate enough to find that.
As I begin my 60th year, I feel grateful.
Grateful for my family.
Grateful for my friends.
Grateful for my health.
Grateful for the remarkable team I get to work alongside every day.
Grateful for the opportunity to serve others.
And grateful that after all these years, I still wake up excited about the work we do.
Tuesday was supposed to be a day off.
Instead, it became a celebration of something I already knew.
I am blessed with many happy places in my life.
And I am grateful that my work is one of them.
It is my honor to work with every single one of you. Thank you for being part of my work family.