Blond: I am SO upset. I can't believe (insert guys name here) is working AGAIN this Christmas. I mean, can't he take ONE holiday off to spend with his girlfriend?
Redhead: I know. I feel so bad you have to go spend it with your family and not with him. Really? He worked Thanksgiving, too. Can't he find another police officer to work instead?
Blond: Ugh, I don't know, he said something about us celebrating on Wednesday, his day off. I have to work on Thursday, so we won't even be able to go out late. You would think he could just get the day off. How inconsiderate.
They went back and forth for a little while, talking about how Christmas and Thanksgiving are "family holidays" and how this guy is a horrible boyfriend for working them. Personally, I think he is a horrible boyfriend for staying with this chick, but hey, that is just my opinion.
I work holidays. A lot of them. I miss family events ~ birthdays, Father's Day, Mother's Day ~ and sometimes expect my family to work around my schedule. But I do it with the support of my family. I don't consider it an inconvenience that I have to work Christmas Eve this year. I consider it a fortune, because I have a job I love, a fantastic group of people to work with. And I am working so every other family out there has the peace of mind and feeling of security that, if something happens, there will be someone there to take care of any problems that arise. We don't expect people to say how much they appreciate us working when everyone else is with their family, but that doesn't give others the right to criticize us for not being home with our family. If I was given the option, I would be home, spending time with my family. But I have a duty to serve and I will do just that, along with 31 of my fellow firefighters and countless law enforcement officers.
Because that is just what we do.
