A Special Thanksgiving

This is the season when I look back over the photographs I’ve taken during the year trying to decide which ones will be preserved in my “best of the year” book. Having visited many wonderful places this year and been able to photograph extraordinary sights, this year is a challenge.

Strange as it may seem, however, the photographs that thrilled me the most weren’t taken in some exotic location. They aren’t of family and many aren’t really very good (much to my despair). So, you ask, why on earth would these be considered special?

Well, since you asked . . .

My daughter works for a well-known Houston rehabilitation hospital where patients often must remain for long periods of time working on recovery. I sort of know what she does, but only sorta. Several weeks before Thanksgiving, she asked me if I’d be willing to take some pictures at the hospital. It seems that at Thanksgiving the hospital hosts dinners for patients AND their families. They have specially reserved tables in the cafeteria or in conference rooms near the patients.

Part of the effort to make this time special includes a photograph of the family that is printed and delivered to the patient on the Monday after Thanksgiving. My daughter was asking me to be the person who provided the “click.” As one can imagine, I was thrilled.

I got so much out of the day as we interacted with each family group, and I loved that I felt like I was making it a little better for folks who faced quite difficult situations. The photographs included the usual challenges as well as special ones. There were babies who slept through the event, teenager daughters who only agreed grumpily to be included, patients who had to be coached to smile, and spouses who clearly had been struggling with the stress of a loved one’s hospitalization. There were also so many who thanked us with great appreciation and eagerly gathered everyone together for the traditional “family picture.” It was a wonderful experience to be part of.

But here’s where the surprise for me came. I got to watch my daughter in her work “environment.” I got to see her incredible sense of concern for each person she encountered. I got to see that she was aware of each person she passed in the hall giving everyone a smile. I saw her stop frequently to give directions to lost visitors. Even when she knew that her family was waiting at home for her arrival so they could start the feast, she never hesitated to walk the distance with someone to the exact spot they needed to be. I also saw her pitch in to help cafeteria staff set up extra tables and chairs for unexpected arrivals. I still can’t tell you exactly what her job description is. What I do know is that she is the kind of employee that every organization would love to have. I know how wonderful she is as a daughter. Now I know that she brings that same quality to her workplace.

So the image of the cafeteria table setting is something I cherish. It acts as a reminder of a day I don’t want to ever forget. A day of true thanksgiving.

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