Not a Certificate. A Pair of Sunglasses.

I didn’t get a certificate.

No paper award. No email blast. No “recognition moment” at a meeting.

I got sunglasses.

Not expensive. Not flashy. Not something you’d find in a formal HR playbook.

But they were thoughtful. And they were meant for me.

Picked out with intention. Given with meaning. The kind of thing that says, “I see you, the real you—not just the work you do.”

That’s what hit me hardest.

Because let’s be honest: most of us are used to being thanked with a bullet point in a slide deck or a $10 coffee card that expires in 30 days. The bar is low.

But this—this felt different. It felt like someone was watching closely. Noticing the moments I kept it together when I was unraveling. The times I stayed late, held the line, smiled when I wanted to scream.

It wasn’t about the sunglasses. It was about being seen.

So to the leaders who give a damn enough to notice the details—to recognize someone with intention, not obligation—thank you.

And to Jessica: I’ll wear them proudly. Not just because they look good, but because they mean something.