Tag: holidays

FIRST THANKSGIVING WEEK OFF IN THIRTY YEARS

Published on by Aimee EddyLeave a comment

When you work in retail, holidays can be really hard. Thanksgiving week in a grocery store means a mad rush of last-minute shoppers. It takes a lot out of retail workers. Despite everything, the workers must put on a smile. It’s not easy.

For thirty years I have worked Thanksgiving week, for a couple years in the bakery and for many years as a cashier. In the bakery there were endless orders of pies, breads, and rolls. As a cashier it’s lines of people, lifting frozen turkeys, grumpy customers, and large cart loads of groceries. The customers tell you at least time will go by fast and it does, but it wears you out. My anxiety is high during the holidays. I try to work fast to get customers out, all the while having sore shoulders, an achy back, and a tired body. The never-ending lines make me want to hide, but I put on a smile and I talk with my customers.

I can’t tell you how many customers come in on the last day and buy a frozen turkey, expecting it to be thawed by the next day. Many customers wait until the very last minute to buy the fixings for their Thanksgiving dinner. They are in such a rush to get everything done that they become grumpy and they take it out on the retail workers. I love being a cashier and working with people, but I hate working the holidays.

This year will be the first time in thirty years I will have Thanksgiving week off. Monday was my cataract surgery on my left eye, and I took Sunday off to spend the night at my parents so they could drive me to my surgery. My co-workers asked me if I was nervous or scared, but I’m not. I have had a lot more major surgeries than this one. Having surgery just means I get to spend Thanksgiving week relaxing and without anxiety attacks. I’m more than willing to let my husband wait on me.

A couple of friends are providing us with some suppers while I’m recovering so I won’t have to worry about cooking. Thanksgiving leftovers will help with some meals also. My body gets to have a break from work. I will be able to write my newsletter and get Christmas cards ready to send out. I can also get a start on Christmas movies while I’m off. I had the lens popped out of my glasses for the left eye so I could see. I’m able to see well right after they took the patch off my left eye the day after surgery.

Even though it’s because of surgery I’ll be off for Thanksgiving week, I’m excited. I not able to bend or lift, but that just gives me an excuse to sit around in my PJs and be lazy. Who can say no to PJ days? I sure don’t get many of them while I’m working. I work, then after work I take my husband for rides, and my days off are appointments. That doesn’t leave much time to just be lazy. Now I have an excuse.

This Thanksgiving week  you also can slow down and be grateful for the gifts of this holiday. Enjoy a good meal provided by God, enjoy family and friends, and be thankful for all the wonderful things you have. Don’t forget to have a PJ day or two.

This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for a week off and for surgeons who can give me the gift of better sight. I will have a new look at life soon. This Thanksgiving I will be relaxing in the light of recovery.

BEING THANKFUL

Published on by Aimee EddyLeave a comment

The holidays are supposed to be a happy time of year. Thanksgiving is getting closer and closer. People are busy planning big meals to celebrate with friends and family. It’s a time of sharing and being grateful for the things we have in our lives. But for many this holiday and other holidays are dreaded. Some struggle with anxiety about spending time with large groups of people, some are alone, some are struggling with depression and can’t find joy, some dread family drama, and some are spending the holidays without a loved one.

When I was younger, I hated holidays. They only made me feel more alone and depressed. I struggled with friends coming in and out of my life. My classmates and teachers put me down. I felt even more isolated from the world during the holidays. Thanksgiving left me feeling like there was nothing in my life to be thankful for. I fell into a depression and became irritable at the holidays. I fought with my siblings and easily went off on my parents.

When I met my husband, my perspective on holidays changed. He made everything brighter. He gave me reasons to celebrate, and with him I never feel or felt alone. I found things to be thankful for at Thanksgiving time.

This holiday season my husband and I are struggling financially, and I’m helping him search for a job. I feel stressed, sad, and overwhelmed. Thanksgiving is Thursday, and I have been wondering what I have to be thankful for. My husband is out of work, bills are adding up, we’re applying for jobs for him, but no one is calling, we have big decisions to make, and I don’t know how to make them. I feel depression tugging at me, but I’m fighting it.

To get into the holiday spirit I decided to write a list of things I’m thankful for. Here is my list:

  • I’m thankful for friends who have helped my husband and me in our time of need. A customer who has become a friend sent me a check, a friend brought us dog food and a gift card, and another friend gave us a turkey breast.
  • I’m thankful to have a house to live in. Despite how tough things are for us, we still have a roof over our heads.
  • I’m thankful for my husband. I wouldn’t want to go through these tough times with anyone else.
  • I’m thankful for my parents. My parents are always giving moral support, listening to us, and helping us out in anyway they can. Their love is endless.
  • I’m thankful for the food bank at our church. Without the food bank, we would not have food.
  • I’m thankful for my dog, Esther. She always seems to know when I’m struggling, and she gives me extra cuddles.
  • I’m thankful for being strong enough to fight depression. I could easily fall to the bottom of my hole of darkness, but I refuse to let that happen.
  • I’m thankful for having a family that loves me. My parents are wonderful, and so are my siblings. They show me in different ways how much they care.
  • I’m thankful for my job. Without my job, we would be in even worse shape. Talking to my customers brightens my day.

Thanksgiving is a time to look at your life and see what you have to be grateful for. When you are struggling with hard times and mental illness, it’s hard to find good things. If you think about it and list things you are thankful for, you might find light in your soul. You can be grateful for small things like getting out of bed, taking a shower, or going for a walk. No matter how bad things seem, there is always something in your life to be thankful for.

This holiday season I have been struggling with a lot of emotions and coping to keep above the hole, but writing a list of what I am thankful for is helping me celebrate in the light of recovery.