If you haven’t figured it out yet…I work in TV. haha. And the news never stops, even when it stops. You think I’m kidding…but it’s true. There’s always something going on.
So, I plan to work most holidays and every once and awhile I get one off. This year I had New Years Day, Memorial Day (because it fell on my day off) and Thanksgiving off work.
That being said, working a holiday is both easy and difficult. It’s hard to be here knowing your family is doing something without you. Even if sometimes the only thing they are doing is watching football and napping. 🙂
I feel guilty sometimes leaving my husband behind on a holiday. Though he appears to do just fine. And fully supports me and my job.
But don’t feel too sorry for me. We find ways to make the holiday work. Often times moving it around based on the days off. This year we made it work perfectly for both families. We went up to Iowa for 5 days, spent time with everyone in Scott’s family and drove back on Christmas Eve. Then we had my family Christmas, did midnight mass and I came to work on Christmas morning. So even though I have to work today, I got to have Christmas with all my family before!!
So what’s it like working on Christmas? It can be sad at times. Covering tragic stories or breaking news. But what I love most about it is that we often get to tell some really great stories. Some would call them fluff. But I call them my “faith in humanity” stories. Today, I did a story about volunteers feeding the homeless at 6. Before that (at 5:00) I interviewed a woman who survived a 30 foot fall and was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve. Two inspiring stories about people who were making the world better. Either by being here and sharing their story or by giving their time.
I had the pleasure to talk with a few homeless people while we were shooting one story. To see how happy they were to have a place to celebrate and to hear what they are thankful for this Christmas was totally amazing. They had more JOY than most of us do any day. It was a good reminder that, yes, I am working today BUT I am happy to have a job today. And happy to be “living the dream” today.
So here’s to another “working holiday” in the books. Covering stories that often get missed in the daily grind. Inspiring, loving, caring and compassionate stories that make us all take a moment to stop and say thanks. We’re lucky to be here too and we’re lucky to be surrounded by people, near and far, who support us and challenge us to grow. Heck! We’re just LUCKY to be.
Merry Christmas…or as some in the TV business would say “Happy Wednesday!!!”
Live. {Laugh} Look Around. 