Because it's Christmastime, and because this year has been so brutally difficult and demoralizing on so many levels, this is the sort of content we need in our lives right now. A neighborhood in Virginia banded together in a lovely show of support for a UPS delivery man that has been faithfully serving the area as an essential worker throughout the pandemic. With the holidays in full swing, residents wanted to express their gratitude, so they coordinated a surprise for Anthony Gaskin, moving him to tears:
Gaskin is a driver for UPS and during the pandemic, his daily deliveries have been life-saving, both literally and figuratively, to the Midlothian neighbors..."Arriving on bikes, on foot, and in more than 75 cars, hundreds of Hallsley residents lined the road and waited for Anthony to turn the corner," she wrote. "A humble man, he needed to be coaxed, but eventually, slowly drove his truck down the road while children and adults held up signs, screamed his name, honked their horns, and rang bells." ... Gaskin's supervisors even showed up to present him with a gift. The neighborhood gesture visibly moved Gaskin, who spoke briefly, thanked everyone, and then got back to work.
The neighborhood families who surprised Gaskin may have been inspired by a very similar gesture from a community in New York over the summer:
Since the coronavirus pandemic began UPS driver Gregory Watkins Sr. has been picking up extra shifts and working longer hours. Watkins has been driving with UPS since 1995 and now has been on his current route in Smithtown, Long Island for over 13 years. The community has grown to love Greg, for his kindness towards others and his infectious good attitude, four women in the community decided that it was time to show Watkins the same appreciation in return. It was a route like any other day until Watkins received a text from one of his neighbors to come right away for some assistance. As soon as Watkins turned his truck to head towards where help was needed, he saw a line of cars that filled up the street and a large group holding a sea of signs with his name on it. "I started driving through and I was just blown away at what was going on," said Watkins. "I just find it amazing that they took the time out to plan this for me. I'm just so humbled by the whole thing, I'm still on cloud nine."
America faces serious issues and challenges, but we remain a nation filled with kind, generous, good, hard-working people. We should never lose sight of that, amid all the constant negativity. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and God bless America.