Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the Live Inspired podcast, Monday morning moments with John O'Leary.

Today's episode is going to be around not taking for granted the people closest to you. So let's roll into it together. It can be

rare to receive or maybe even more importantly to give meaningful recognition for the important

work being done all around us. Have you ever noticed that?

In our race to the next activity, our next location, the next appointment, we often hurry right past the individuals providing worthy service directly in front of us.

Rarely do we pause and thank the janitor for the clean bathroom, the cashier for taking the order, the driver for

the safe transport, or the hotel clerk for working the overnight shift. By contrast, through a ton of

grace and a lot of help from others and a little bit of luck, I stumbled into a profession where I am

frequently thanked with fancy dinners, standing ovations,

and long lines with hugs and handshakes.

This encouragement from others adds joy and life and a reminder that the work we do, that I get to do, matters.

And yet, while I'm on the road and out of town speaking, who takes care of the kids?

While I'm at those steak dinners, who does the exhausting and thankless work of getting meals ready for the others?

When I check into the hotel and get unpacked, who drives the kids to practices, checks their home, or cleans their clothes,

wraps up their day after her long day, and then prepares for another one. The answer, and I think

you knew it's common, is my wife, Beth. My amazing wife tirelessly and selflessly does so much,

and because the kids and I are so close to

her, we are at risk of even taking her for granted. Which is why what occurred at a national

conference a couple years back was particularly meaningful for me and for her. Back in 2023, the American Occupational Therapy Association selected me as their keynote speaker.

Yeah, I was excited for the opportunity because of the incredible work OTs and COTAs due in our health care and in our school systems.

I was also excited because of the work

my OTs did for me decades ago, empowering me to feed myself and dress myself and become self-sufficient.

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