A Week of Thankfulness: My Job

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I will be spending my Thanksgiving taking care of some of God's tiniest miracles. Of course, I would be lying if I said I would rather spend my Thanksgiving at work than with my family. But if I can't spend Thanksgiving with my family, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend it with than some sweet little babies. Since I will be spending my Thanksgiving at work, I've decided to reflect on how thankful I am for my job today.

My job allows me to do what I love everyday, which is caring for some of the tiniest and most fragile human beings. I am always amazed by the strength of these tiny babies. My job also entails helping the parents of these tiny babies understand what is going on with their child and helping them learn how to care for their baby in the hospital and after discharge. I also enjoy this part of my job. One day last week at the end of my shift, I was telling a baby and her parents goodbye because I knew the baby would be discharged before I returned to work. The mother of the baby started crying and hugged me before I left. Moments like these remind me that what I do really makes a difference in other people's lives. I love that I have a job that allows me to make such a difference.

My job is not always easy. There are many days that I just wouldn't be able to make it without my co-workers. Whenever I am having a bad day, my co-workers seem to always be there to help me out, put a smile on my face, and make my day a little easier. In nursing, co-workers are often more than just co-workers--they become more like family. My co-workers and I have experienced this fact in a very real sense this past week as we have dealt with the unexpected death of a co-worker. This tragedy has brought us all so much closer as we have grieved together and shared so many memories of our beloved co-worker. I am thankful for my work "family", and I am so lucky that many of my closest friends are also my co-workers.

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that you are all able to take some time during this Thanksgiving holiday to reflect on everything you have to be thankful for.