A Labor of Love

Have you ever felt palpable anticipation about what was going to happen the next day? It courses through your body like electricity, so much so that you can hardly sleep thinking about what a wonderful day the sunrise would bring?

I can’t remember the night before my first day of kindergarten, but I imagine this is close to what it felt like.  I  was describing my feelings about returning to work to Heidi Cook, the Midwestern Territory Manager for Suna Bros., and she likened it to a child’s excitement the night before Christmas.

I usually arrive at the office at 9:00AM, but Monday June 8th, the day New York City began its first phase of reopening, I was in my office on 5th & 46th at 7:20AM, ready to to go!  That little boy enthusiasm had added pep to my step as I walked to work, anxious to get back into the swing of things. 

It had been eighty-four days since March 13th when Suna Bros. closed its doors on the precipice of New York City’s frightening plunge into the worst of the pandemic. Eighty four days of being away from the away from the office made me realize how much I really love the jewelry business and the people with whom we interact on a daily basis.     

Our industry is a wonderful mélange of so many different groups and vibrant cultures, and New York City is a veritable crosswords for global artisans, gem dealers, manufacturers, and designers. I really enjoy the ebb and flow of each work day, the comings and goings of messengers, deliveries, and vendors, the buzz of the office, and the whir of the shop. I enjoy our retailers, many of whom are friends, and catching up with colleagues about what’s new in their world.

Whenever my father spoke about how he felt when Suna Bros. reopened after he and my uncle returned from World War II, I never fully comprehended exactly what it had meant to him.

Now, I completely understand.

Aron