“Julie, last year you really dumped on me when I wished our readers a Merry Christmas. I thought it was safe to use that greeting in any hospital with a name like St. Elizabeth, St. Mary’s, or St. Whatever.”
“Nope, Curmudge. These days one must be politically correct everywhere. So how are we going to handle our greetings in a way that is, as you would say it, innocuous?”
“Let’s try this. Major holidays, as celebrated by most religions, heritages, and ethnic groups, have several elements in common. Things like religious observances, festive meals, days off work, and family gatherings. Let’s consider family gatherings and focus our concerns and best wishes on those people who can’t attend. For those folks, any holiday must be a real bummer.”
“Great idea, Curmudge. People like nurses in the patient care units, physicians in the ED, and flight crews on airplanes.”
“My presumption is that the nurses and others will simply defer their family celebration until their shift is over. That may be an inconvenience, but the problem shouldn’t be insurmountable. Things will be much sadder for those who can’t just wait a few hours until their schedule allows them to be home.”
“Of course. Hospital inpatients and members of the military who are deployed in far-away lands. At least the patients will probably have family visits, and the service people will call home. It is certainly worse for the people on the streets who are homeless or whose home doesn’t want them. Also among the homeless are the survivors of earthquakes and civil wars. Then there are those whose physical or emotional state prevents their even remembering what home was, but it is unlikely that they will even be aware that a holiday is occurring.”
“That’s quite a list, Julie. What is celebratory to most people ranges from an inconvenience to abject misery for others.”
“What can we do, Curmudge? You initiated this topic; I hope you have some ideas.”
“Your mission Julie, if you choose to accept it, is to bring a bit of light to the dark side of the human condition. It’s hard to make much of an impact as an individual, although the Good Samaritan gained quite a reputation for his efforts. There are lots of charities—religious or secular and from local to international—who would love to have your financial support or service as a volunteer. Political correctness prevents my making a specific recommendation.”
“Good thought, Curmudge. I’ll put serving as a volunteer in my New Years resolutions. Maybe my efforts will help someone get home for his or her special holiday. If they can’t get home, perhaps they can feel more at home wherever they are.”
“You’ve got it, Julie. You’ve got the real Christmas…oops, holiday spirit.”
“Happy Holidays, Curmudge.”
“Merry Christmas, Julie.”
Affinity’s Kaizen Curmudgeon
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