Some folks today are surrounded by family. Others ~ many, many others ~ are on the job and often unseen, working for our safety, health, comfort, convenience or entertainment.

Some volunteer their time, some are well-paid. Others are scratching out a living, doing the best they can, or earning what they can to pay college tuition, for themselves their kids or grandkids.

I created a list of these kinds of jobs, so I could pause throughout the day to appreciate the gifts of others’ time. Join me in acknowledging:

• Members of the military and their civilian support staff.
• Police, fire, EMT, doctors, nurses, medical techs, home health aides.
• Mental health professionals.
• Dispatchers.
• Taxi and bus drivers.
• Call center workers (health, insurance, crisis, food safety, technology).
• Cashiers and clerks.
• Electric, water, gas and sewer utility staff.
• Airport and airline employees.
• Red Cross volunteers (responding to fires or connecting military families in crisis)‎.
• Journalists, producers, radio and TV engineers and technicians.
• Road crews for emergency repairs.
• Movie theater employees.
• Gas station attendants.
• Clergy.
• Funeral directors.
• Information technology workers.
• Truck drivers.
• Florists, postal, package and food delivery drivers, food servers.
• Kitchen staff, valets.
• Hotel employees.
• Car rental agents.
• Plumbers, furnance-repair specialists.
• Tow truck drivers.
• Security officers.
• Custodians.

Did I miss anyone? Let me know; I’ll update the list!