Working on a Holiday

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and I ended up running to the grocery store early in the morning to grab something I forgot.

While I was there, I was looking at the people working and I felt bad that they were there.

“They should be home watching the parade in their pj’s.”

“They should be home with their family, putting the turkey in the oven and getting the house ready for people to come over.”

Funny thing is, I used to be one of those people. I worked at a local grocery store part time for 11 years.

Over time, I found that job to be a source of comfort, and the people with whom I worked almost like an extended family.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, there were holidays when I was alone. On holiday’s when I was alone, I preferred to go to work, with my other family, and in a place that had become comfortable and perhaps “safe”.

Looking back, I’m grateful that the store was open on those holidays, and I’m grateful that I had an alternative to being alone on a holiday.

On those holidays, I noticed many of the other people in the store had similar stories, and they were similarly happy to have someplace other than their empty house to spend the time.

I’m aware that not everyone is so lucky, many people who work on holidays would much rather be home with friends and family.

But there is a percentage of people who are happy to be at work on a holiday.

I was one of them, and I’m grateful.