#30DaysOfThanks Day 11: Work & Food

Today I was blessed so much by a precious office in Winfield, Alabama that invited me to their Thanksgiving party. They turned a regular lunch into family time. I felt as though I were truly sitting around with old friends, chit chatting about football and life and the like ... when we weren't talking about work things of course. The ladies in this office taught me things about football and making cakes in the microwave with only cake batter and sprite ... THEY ARE A BUNCH OF GENIUSES. It was amazing. 

But what they did for my heart was more than they could've ever expected to do even to fill my stomach with their amazing cooking. We each wrote things we were thankful for, put our musings in a bucket, and then we each chose a different one from the bucket and read it aloud. As luck would have it, the doctor got mine. He's a huge Alabama fan and my card said I was thankful for "Auburn Football," among other things.  He, of course, read it aloud as "Alabama Football," and we all had a good laugh. That stinker. 

The thing they did for me today that resonated so much was that they treated me as if I belonged. Even though I was a stranger to most of them,  they embraced me as one of their own. You can call it southern hospitality, but I say it's because these are the hearts of caring people. 

You see, I've been in Pharmaceuticals for over a year now and what blows me away more than anything is that these precious offices never stop caring. The angel doctors and nurses that I speak with everyday are inundated with paperwork and tough patients and sad stories and so many hurdles that are so tough emotionally, and still I am greeted like I am one of their own when I walk through the door. I hope they know that their hospitality and caring speaks volumes and volumes to me. 

So a message to the offices across the nation who spend lunches and such with representatives, your hospitality and caring face means more to us than you know. We respect what you do and are blown away that you are able to care about us after what you do. You have a job that can be emotionally grouling and yet your smile seems to never fade. You are a strong people. May the Lord hold you up through all your days.