Contributed by: Gerri Harmer
Most of us give thanks on Thanksgiving. Some have started listing what they’re thankful for every day of November on social media which I think is absolutely fantastic. It’s how I start my day, not on social media but some kind of affirmation to myself. Most of the things they mention are big things they are most grateful for such as people like family and friends. While I know those are indeed the most important things, I’ve found that the little things about those big things are the things I remember most. When I think back about some of the best times with family, I don’t always remember the gift I got my son for his birthday but I do remember that big mega-watt smile that spread over his face and the feeling of joy in my heart knowing his day was filled with excitement and bliss. I don’t recall the jokes my dad told or his bigger than life stories but I do remember his voice and the way his eyes lit up when he laughed. I recall my grandmother’s advice and her listening to my latest adventures with excitement as if it were the greatest story she’d ever heard or the hugs I received from grandpa or Mom putting the special spice in the recipe. These small moments fill us. They are what we hold in our hearts. I think Maya Angelo said it best, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
It may sound corny but how we make clients feel is what we hold dear here at The Center. We consider our clients to be part of our extended family. It’s important to us to we take care of their needs, spoken or unspoken, to the best of our ability. If we don’t have the answer, we’ll research it. When our clients call, we do our best to respond as quickly and thoroughly as possible and if we can put a smile on their face or a more peaceful feeling in their hearts then we’re content. When clients go through a joyful occasion, we cheer, when they’re going through a rough time, we feel it and do what we can to make it easier. We prepare in advance for possible emergencies whether it’s economic or situational. We try to get to know clients’ families, in case anything should happen we know who to contact and how to help. We take time to think about how we can do better for our clients even if we’re doing great. We want our client families to create the best lives they can possibly imagine and we feel incredibly thankful they have chosen us to share time and those moments.
Happy Thanksgiving from your Center Family!
Gerri Harmer is a Client Service Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.®