December Musings
I have to keep glancing at my calendar because it sure doesn't feel like December in Santa Fe. We had a few inches of snow one morning last week, but alas it all melted within hours. It is likely that the Southwest will see a dry and sunny Christmas. (Meanwhile, we are heading to Minnesota, where the temperature will be below zero all day on Christmas...brr!)
Christmas is complicated for many families, and there is so much going on in the community and the world lately that I have struggled to decide what I want to write about this week. My work department volunteered to cook and serve dinner at a homeless shelter a few weeks ago. I was thankful for the opportunity to serve people in need in the community and to make a difference for people who are going through hard times. Experiences like this one also remind me that sometimes there's a very fine line between those who are dealing with homelessness and those who have a roof over their heads, and often it comes down to whether or not people have a support network and access to resources when they are suffering from mental health issues or substance abuse, or when they lose their job or encounter hardships. I felt very appreciative of my life. I also find myself advocating more strongly for my patients in the hospital who are homeless, who will be returning to the streets when they are medically stable, and who don't have anyone to support them. It is especially difficult in the winter to discharge patients who don't have a safe plan.
This time of year has also been challenging in light of national news stories and political turmoil. Our nation seems more divided than ever, with individuals on both sides of the political spectrum feeling misunderstood and misrepresented. I feel absolutely sick about the land that is being taken away from National Parks in Utah, devastated for victims of the fires in California (while homeowners simultaneously face the risk of losing insurance coverage), and frustrated to have someone in the White House who so carelessly and selfishly fails to see the world from another's perspective or gain an understanding of the values of the people in this country.
I find myself singing along to My Grownup Christmas List more than ever this year:
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list...
On a brighter note, I think there are also a number of inspirational and heartwarming stories that emerge in the face of adversity. The recent Alabama Senate election represents a glimmer of hope in this disappointing and frustrating year of politics. I also feel so inspired by Serena Williams' new Gatorade commercial about girls in sports, as well as many of the other family-oriented and compassion-triggering commercials on TV.
I love long evening walks with Kua and Ady this time of year, admiring the lights in the neighborhood and watching the last traces of the sunset over the horizon, feeling the cold winter air. Despite the lack of snow, I am doing my best to get into the holiday spirit! My holiday baking this year included Ricotta Cheese Cookies, PB Blossoms, Molasses Cookies, Festive Vanilla Fudge and White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Sugar Cookies. A few days ago I played my French horn at church for the Lessons and Carols service, and later that night I attended the Nutcracker ballet with my girlfriends, an annual tradition that we always look forward to. And at work today my department exchanged Secret Santa gifts and had lunch together, which offered a brief but much-needed respite from an otherwise stressful week.
I look forward to heading to Minnesota in a few days for family Christmas! Ady's grandparents can't wait to snuggle her, and Kua will be thrilled to play in the snow. We kept Ady's Christmas gifts to a minimum because we don't want to send the message that Christmas is about the presents (and she's more interested in the wrapping paper at this point anyway), but we do have a few things for her to open from Santa.
Stay tuned later this month for an update on my 2017 book list and some resolutions for the new year. And stay warm out there!
Merry Christmas!
Christmas is complicated for many families, and there is so much going on in the community and the world lately that I have struggled to decide what I want to write about this week. My work department volunteered to cook and serve dinner at a homeless shelter a few weeks ago. I was thankful for the opportunity to serve people in need in the community and to make a difference for people who are going through hard times. Experiences like this one also remind me that sometimes there's a very fine line between those who are dealing with homelessness and those who have a roof over their heads, and often it comes down to whether or not people have a support network and access to resources when they are suffering from mental health issues or substance abuse, or when they lose their job or encounter hardships. I felt very appreciative of my life. I also find myself advocating more strongly for my patients in the hospital who are homeless, who will be returning to the streets when they are medically stable, and who don't have anyone to support them. It is especially difficult in the winter to discharge patients who don't have a safe plan.
This time of year has also been challenging in light of national news stories and political turmoil. Our nation seems more divided than ever, with individuals on both sides of the political spectrum feeling misunderstood and misrepresented. I feel absolutely sick about the land that is being taken away from National Parks in Utah, devastated for victims of the fires in California (while homeowners simultaneously face the risk of losing insurance coverage), and frustrated to have someone in the White House who so carelessly and selfishly fails to see the world from another's perspective or gain an understanding of the values of the people in this country.
I find myself singing along to My Grownup Christmas List more than ever this year:
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list...
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I love long evening walks with Kua and Ady this time of year, admiring the lights in the neighborhood and watching the last traces of the sunset over the horizon, feeling the cold winter air. Despite the lack of snow, I am doing my best to get into the holiday spirit! My holiday baking this year included Ricotta Cheese Cookies, PB Blossoms, Molasses Cookies, Festive Vanilla Fudge and White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Sugar Cookies. A few days ago I played my French horn at church for the Lessons and Carols service, and later that night I attended the Nutcracker ballet with my girlfriends, an annual tradition that we always look forward to. And at work today my department exchanged Secret Santa gifts and had lunch together, which offered a brief but much-needed respite from an otherwise stressful week.
I look forward to heading to Minnesota in a few days for family Christmas! Ady's grandparents can't wait to snuggle her, and Kua will be thrilled to play in the snow. We kept Ady's Christmas gifts to a minimum because we don't want to send the message that Christmas is about the presents (and she's more interested in the wrapping paper at this point anyway), but we do have a few things for her to open from Santa.
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| Holiday Baking |
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| Santa is coming! |
Stay tuned later this month for an update on my 2017 book list and some resolutions for the new year. And stay warm out there!
Merry Christmas!
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