Not Everyone Is Off On Thanksgiving

Last year, shortly after we finished our Christmas feast, the pipe under our sink cracked and we were without water. We knew the stores weren’t open, so we resorted to precariously piling the dishes and pots and pans atop one another on either side of the sink and waiting until December 26 when everything would be back open to fix it.

We brushed off the fact that it was a holiday and accepted the fact that no one was working today.

But then we got a FaceTime call from a relative on the West Coast. She is a nurse and she stole a moment from a busy Emergency Room to give us a quick call. It was great to hear her voice and see her face. As we exchanged Christmas greetings and my kids showed her all of their treasures, she smiled and said she would be celebrating Christmas with her family in a few days. Then it hit us that of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to be home from work enjoying the holiday as we were.

There Are So Many Who Work While We Rest

Doctors, nurses and other important healthcare employees (and of course firefighters and police) are away from their families on holidays because they chose a profession of service.

I don’t think this is news to anyone, but I’ll bet that just like our family, many outside the critical service professions like healthcare, police, fire, etc., don’t often remember to give thanks to these important people in our community on a holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving. We just take for granted that they’ll be there when we need them.

This year, my seven-year-old had the idea to bake some cookies and deliver them to our local fire station, police station, and emergency department workers. It’s a small gesture, but it was our way of letting them know how thankful we are for their service every day of the year, especially on Thanksgiving.

Giving Thanks

I am grateful for the people in my community who have devoted their lives to serving others. And I am thankful for you, dear reader. May you and your care teams and your families enjoy this Thanksgiving, whether you’re home with family or sharing a turkey sandwich with co-workers.