Gratitude, pass it on

Nelda Curtiss

In the time COVID-19, I still find countless reasons to be grateful and to pass kindness forward.

Wednesday, I was climbing the steps to the Rio Grande County Clerk’s office with my service dog’s leash in one hand and my oxygen tank in the other. A young woman, masked properly, called, “Let me get the door for you!” I smiled, “Thank you.”  It’s such a sweet gesture to notice someone is burdened or having trouble opening the door. So, again, young woman, I say “Thank you for looking out for others.”

When I approached the clerk to get a duplicate of my car’s registration, she asked for the VIN number or license plate but darned if I couldn’t remember what they were and fumbling with my phone to find the VIN number was challenging. Thankfully, she said she could look it up by my address.  The cost is only four dollars for a duplicate that makes me feel comfortable should I be stopped.  Now, I know right where that registration card is.  Again, the kindliness of Rio Grande County Clerk’s office sticks with me.

At the drive-through pharmacy at the Monte Vista Rural Clinic part of the Rio Grande Hospital Clinics, Jim handed out a couple of snack bones for my service dog who promptly scarfed down the treat. (That’s THANKS in dog behavior.) This pharmacy takes extra care and double-checks each prescription. So, as always, I’m grateful for their extra care and happy the drive-up window extends helpfulness, too.

I also welcome Dr. Phil McGraw’s afternoon show. On Wednesday, he announced a new series: That Animal Rescue Show.  This show began Thursday, October 29 via CBS All Access.  The show looks at all sorts of animal and human interactions and how rescuing animals builds up our characters and eases stresses for humans and animal alike. One of the highlighted episodes is about a dozen or more Jordan-born French Bull Dogs abandoned at a Chicago airport. Alerted by a Facebook fan, Dr. Phil worked with Congressman Mike Quigley to rescue the young dogs, treat them, and prepare them for homes.  Caring for lives and those of animals is so important to our humanity. Thank you, Rep. Quigley and Dr. Phil.

At Monte Vista’s Safeway, a gentleman helped to stash the scooter’s electric cord when it was dragging like a bride’s train. Another young man accompanied me out to the car and loaded my groceries into the trunk and remarked how my service dog was a character and that he loved animals.

I’m so glad for the personable help available at Safeway. It makes all the difference.

The other day my neighbor Greg came to my rescue when I was not having success filling up my car with gasoline. Thank you again for getting the tank filled, Greg.  He also helps me when he moves my trash bin out every Monday for the Tuesday morning pick up.

I’m so grateful, too, for the United States Postal Service which provides irreplaceable services to all of us. Wednesday, my mail included a 22-lb bag of Friskies cat food from Amazon. She brought it all the way to my door. I’m doubly grateful for her and her colleagues delivering our letters, cards, prescriptions and packages; but I’m also happy an anonymous thoughtful soul donated to the many feral cats that I feed, under the auspices of SLV Cats Alive!

Even during this time of Covid19, so much gratefulness and humanity lingers here and there and in our hearts. Pass it on.