In my last post, I shared some thoughts on the loss of my mother and Matchmaker Logistics co-founder, Eileen Skane. The post published while I was at a meeting out of the office. When I returned to the office, as is my habit, I immediately checked my voicemail and email to see what fires caught wind while I was away.
When I saw dozens of notifications in my inbox, I felt that old familiar instinct kick in – time to jump in, put out those ‘fires’, and help people out with whatever they needed from me. But when I started opening the messages, tears sprung to my eyes. These weren’t people asking for my assistance – they were there to help me.
Messages of support flooded my voicemail, my inbox, and even my mailbox. Long-time clients and readers reached out to me personally, expressing their deepest sympathies. Some even reached out to share their own stories of loss and tips on how to cope while grieving a beloved parent.
I was floored by this amazing outreach, but I shouldn’t have expected any different – Matchmaker Logistics wouldn’t be here today without the love, support, and hard work of my mother, and our friends and clients know that. We proudly talk about our origins as a family company, and about our approach to treating clients and carriers with kindness and respect. And, seeing that reciprocated on a day when I could have used the boost? It meant more than I can say.
Sometimes, I think the information age has made us cynical – we have access to a constant barrage of news and information (much of it negative): internet users hide behind anonymity, posting scathing comments on social media; people ‘unfriend’ each other when they are offended by, well, almost anything – a political opinion, a joke, or a belief that differs from one’s own. It’s enough to make anyone doubt humanity.
Still, I’ve always believed that there are more good people than bad ones in this world. Thank you for reinforcing that belief and reminding me that people really do still care enough to take a moment from the pressures and demands they face each day to send words of kindness and support to a colleague, a vendor, or in some cases, a virtual stranger.
I was humbled, touched, and honored.
Thank you,
~Bob
