Christmas 2012

To all of you out there who have not received a Christmas card from me 
- and that would be ...everyone, since I didn't send any this year
...this is it. 

As a nurse, I've had to work my share of Christmas shifts but it's what I have chosen as my profession and I'm good with it. Actually, I've always considered myself to be one of the lucky ones. Especially at Christmas-time.

It always been so easy for me to get caught up and into the hype of the holiday season - You know the drill...

• Get the house decorated
• Plan Christmas Dinner
• Bake
• Shopping
• Gift Wrapping
• Clean the house
• etc.

But what I am most grateful for is the regular dose of 'reality-check' that I get from going to work. It  helps keep me grounded.

A couple of weeks ago, my elderly patient happened to be blind. She had lost her vision completely, three years before. As I was feeding her dinner, the story on the evening news was all about New York City's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. 

My patient said "Oh, how I wish I could see a Christmas tree one more time".

I described the tree to her as colorfully as I could. 

Since that night, I have paid a little more attention to the beauty and detail of the Christmas season.

I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones.

Wishing you all a 

Very Merry Christmas, 

Happy Kwanzaa, 

Happy Hanukkah 

and a

Great New Year!