For too long, service has been described as valuable. Valuable to the customer, valuable to the business, valuable to the bottom line. But that word doesn’t go far enough. 

Service is not just valuable …… It’s important. 

Earlier this year, on retreat, I met a woman who was a farmer. She spoke about raising her calves, the joy, the fulfilment, the love in her work. It was so clear that her role wasn’t just about producing food; it was about caring, tending, and contributing to the fabric of life itself. 

Farmers are essential. Take them away, and we lose food grown consciously, with care and love. Society doesn’t function. 

And here’s the parallel: service is becoming just as essential. It’s not yet as rare as a farmer, but just as vital. Take service away, and what do we lose? Connection. Care. Belonging. The very things that hold communities and workplaces together. 

We’ve been conditioned to celebrate roles with high status, big salaries, or formal qualifications. And yes, those matter. However, service, often dismissed as “soft” or “entry level”, is the work that ensures people feel safe, supported, and seen. 

When service falters, the impact is immediate. It shapes wellbeing, mood, safety, and cohesion. When service flourishes, the ripples spread far beyond the moment. 

This is why service must be recognised not just as something of value, but as something of importance. 

Your call to action: Honour service this week. Notice the people who create connections, who make others feel cared for, who bring humanity into the everyday. Their work isn’t just valuable. Like the farmer, their work is vital.