And as you stand there
On time and Appropriately clad for the event
With a high-fiber bar in your bag
And extra pens

Let us take this moment to applaud you.

You, the prepared.

You, the accomplished.

You, the bills-paid-on-time and the-taxes-done-in-March.

You, who always returns the shopping cart.

You, who never throws a tantrum.

While the moody, the irresponsible, the near-hysterical, and the
rude seem to get ALL the attention

Let us now praise you.

Just because everyone always expects you to do well.

Does not make it any less remarkable

That you always do so well.

So thank you.

For picking up the slack

For not imposing

For being so kind

And mannerly

And attending to all those pesky details.

Thank you for your consideration,

Your generosity,

For always remembering and never forgetting:

That a job well done is its own reward

That the opportunity to help someone else is a gift

That the complainers, the crybabies, the drama queens, the never-use-a-turn-signals, the forgetful, the self-involved, the choleric, the phlegmatic, and the your-rules-don’t-apply-tome-types

Need you to rebel against in order to look like rebels.

You provide the lines — for without the lines, well, what would they color outside of?

So take a minute To pat yourself on the back

And say, “Job well done.”

And as you consider someday

Showing up stoned

Or unprepared

Or not at all

And as you imagine someday being imperious

Or demanding

Or the one with the temper

Hear  the unspoken “thank-you” from a

Grateful nation that is a

Better, smarter, calmer, easier, friendlier, and more organized place

Thanks to you

And your dogged diligence.

You are beautiful.

You are precious to us.

You are the hand that calms the water, the wheel that never
squeaks, the one we all rely on

And while you probably would have remembered to send a thank you
note,

We forgot.

And just because everyone always expects you

To do well

Does not make it any less remarkable

That you always do so well.

And I would tell you to take the afternoon for yourself
Or sleep in tomorrow

But I’m pretty sure you already have plans.

So just take this very moment right now
To appreciate you

And all that you have done and done well

Even by your own high standards.

And remember:

You are beautiful.

And just because everyone always expects you to
Do well

Does not make it any less amazing, delightful, or delicious that
You always do so well.