Sharing my “Jar of Thanks” with You!
Suneet Varma
Global Oncology & US President (Ret.); Aspiring to Deliver Breakthroughs for People Living with Cancer
With the passing of the American Thanksgiving Holiday and 2020 drawing to a close, this is a great opportunity to reflect on what I am most thankful for this year and how these high points have helped me (and can help all of us) maintain a positive outlook during a challenging year.
Let me first start with my family, for which I am eternally grateful. At our Thanksgiving dinner, which this year was more of an outdoor brunch but with brined and grilled turkey, we have a tradition of reading aloud from a “Jar of Thanks”. Let me provide a little context. About 10 years ago, my kids decorated a plain, old jumbo-sized jar, and throughout the month of November, leading up to Thanksgiving, we each anonymously write “things” we are thankful for on little slips of paper that we put into the Jar. At the end of our Thanksgiving meal, we open the Jar and ask everyone (including guests) to read out loud the items one by one, going around the table in a circle.
Some things are simple like “I am thankful for chocolate” or “hot coffee on a cold morning” while others are more profound, such as “I am thankful for books and school in a time of COVID,” and “I am thankful for friends that I can pick right back up with, no matter how much time has passed”. There are also funny, poignant ones like “I am thankful for ‘I voted’ stickers” or “I am thankful for sweets and cats”. So, it is not only a fun and thoughtful way to extend the “table time” together, but also a great way to explicitly give thanks and remind us all what really matters.
At my job at Pfizer, given that we have together overcome numerous challenges, I thought it might be nice this year to follow a similar ritual in my professional life as there is plenty to be thankful for. Here are examples of entries I would write if I had a Pfizer “Jar of Thanks”.
· I am thankful for having the opportunity to take on a new leadership role at Pfizer Rare Disease earlier this year
· I am thankful for the warm welcome my Rare Disease colleagues have given me thus far – despite never having met me in person!
· I am thankful for the ultimate work-life balance – getting to spend more time with my family during the pandemic, while working at home.
· I am thankful to play a role in Pfizer’s purpose – Breakthroughs that change patients’ lives – which I find so inspiring.
· I am thankful for the world’s progress – including my own Company’s – in developing vaccines and treatments for COVID
· I am thankful to my Rare Disease teammates who have shown resilience, bold thinking and adaptability during an incredibly challenging year.
· I am thankful for my job, which is full of learning and challenges, along with colleagues who I can call friends too
· I am thankful for a bright future in 2021, as I look forward to all we can still accomplish
These are the kinds of entries I would make if we had a Pfizer “Jar of Thanks”. What would you write, personally or professionally? Please feel free to share, and maybe we can start a new tradition right now, right here too.
Biopharma entrepreneur, investor and executive
4 年Great post, Suneet- it has been quite a challenging year for many, but has also forced a lot of folks to take a pause and appreciate what matters in life- and to confront adversity with strength. While 2020 will always be remembered for its unfathomable losses in terms of lives and economic adversity, the triumph of science and day to day persistence of those on the front lines in many arenas of society, many of whom are often overlooked, are key accomplishments that should give hope for the future.
This is a great tradition to start and thank you for sharing. Covid has made many of us realize the things we take for granted, our health and family. I am grateful for the health of my family, friends and myself. I am grateful for the safe country that I live in. On a professional level, I am grateful for my team at #MotherParkers Coffee and Tea for always coming through in launching our short launch, rush projects. I am grateful to the #Pfizer team for delivering the vaccine and giving many hope during this uncertain times. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing Suneet and what a great idea. work wise I have never been more grateful to work for a company that has a tradition of stepping up and do the impossible in times of crisis. Personally this year I am very grateful to have had the chance to spend full time with my beautifuldog for the last six months of her life and not be away from her.?
Strategy Consulting | Market Insights | Business Analytics | Forecasting | Competitive Intelligence
4 年I love this family tradition Suneet! It is always good and important to be thankful for all we have and not take anything for granted. Makes us all more thankful and joyful. I am very thankful for all the friends, families, and colleagues I have connected with in my life journey that have shaped me into who I am! (That includes you! :))