Dear Delivery Warrior

Covid quarantine has me so spooked. 

I can hardly reach into my own pantry for a package of pasta without fear and trepidation. I find myself questioning my husband every time he returns home. 'Where have you been? Who were you with?' Out of the house makes me out of my mind and out of context those questions sound marital. But I need to keep track of the germs. Need to know what's coming into our home. I need to remember to wash my hands. After so many weeks of this I'm starting to forget. And there's nothing worse than remembering not to touch your face after you've touched your face. Vigilance takes so much work... and one wrong move... like biting a fingernail or getting an eyelash out of your eye sends that instant moment of panic: 'I might have just killed myself.       

As we inch out of the house one step at a time, searching for others lurking about, marking our six foot territory, afraid to inhale or touch or meet or greet, a delivery truck passes by us on the empty road. A delivery warrior; a lone ranger charging ahead in a dangerous frontier to supply our demand. The driver's eyes met mine and I wanted to ask him, "How did you become so brave, so selfless, so heroic?" Warriors don't ask for anything in return. In this war it's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

We stopped for a moment to respect the scenario. Stuff of greatness was still happening even in lockdown. We need things, they deliver them. But this time it wasn't a big brown truck driving by and swinging into driveways. It wasn't business as usual with an anonymous doorstep drop. There is a brave human behind that wheel and his value is tangible, especially now.

In a new world where touch is a risk, I'd like to take a moment to salute the warriors who handle the goods from assembly line to shipyard, from loading dock to warehouse, from highway to railway to runway, in restaurants, retailers, for all, you're on call. 

This playlist is a salute to you. 

Head to Spotify & listen to the Delivery Warriors playlist:
DEAR DELIVERY WARRIOR: You've Been Valslisted

In music,
Val