Unconventional Holidays

Holidays - dates on a calendar dictating when you celebrate, commemorate or honor something or someone. Before staying home with my kids I worked in healthcare in the hospital setting for 13 years. I am no stranger to unconventional holidays. There were many days spent with my “work family” sharing potlucks (when we had time to actually sit down and eat) and days later, after the date on the calendar, sitting down with my family sharing frivolities and a delicious meal. We continue to celebrate unconventional holidays since my husband has been on call and is scheduled to be on call most holidays this year and next until he graduates from his fellowship. Over the years we have figured out our own routine when it comes to these occasions. Often times, even when we do have a chance to sit down together the pager goes off or the cell phone rings. Those devices are as much a part of our family as anything else. We are a family who enjoy helping others and so we do not perceive it as a burden to work on traditional holidays but a mere opportunity to possibly help brighten or make someone else's holiday better. Who wouldn’t be grateful for a new, better functioning heart for Thanksgiving?  It is not always a person’s first choice or choice at all to work on a holiday but they dutifully report to work anyways. And so this holiday season give thanks not only for your family, health, happiness and those things you hold dear, but also give thanks to the many who will work on days when likely they would love to be home with their families just like you. Whether you are in a hospital being cared for by the staff, at a food establishment being waited on, pulled over because you were speeding to the holiday dinner you are already five minutes late to, please be polite, greet everyone with a smile or at least respect and wish them a safe and happy holiday.