Today’s Solutions: December 16, 2025

First responders, like doctors, nurses, and firefighters, work tirelessly to take care of those in need.  For months and months, their workload has been exacerbated by the pandemic, so let’s all take the time to appreciate their fortitude both physically and mentally.

Thankful Thursdays prompt #5: Write a letter of gratitude to a nurse, doctor, firefighter, or other first responders.

Send letters to people you personally know who are working on the healthcare frontlines or send them to local clinics or hospitals. If you want to go above and beyond, drop off a meal or homemade treat at a fire station or hospital.

This is the fifth installation of our Thankful Thursdays series, a collaboration with Lost Art of Love Letters and Santa Barbara Response Network. Each Thursday, we will share a gratitude prompt from Lost Art of Love Letters to help you dive deeper into who and what you are grateful for.

Lost Art of Love Letters, started by artist Sondra Weiss, encourages everyone to practice creative letter writing on a wide variety of topics from mental wellness, social justice, and environmental protection to gratitude and self-love. Love letters from her project have made their way to museums, galleries, aquariums, and even the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations where environmental letters written by global youth were read to world leaders. 

Share pictures of your love letters with us on social media @optimistdaily, @sbrn, and @lostartofloveletters with #ignitecaring.

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