Today was a very special day. It was my office’s Thanksgiving-Banksgiving! I’ve been super hyped about Banksgiving for weeks now. I mean, we all love a food day at work, but honestly it’s not just about the food. Sure we like to eat, but we also really like each other’s company. For me, it’s about breaking bread and enjoying the time we get to spend with these crazy, cooky, warm-hearted people we call our work family. Because in a way they are family. At least if we’re lucky. I have been very fortunate to work with some truly great people over the years. An idea that’s been dominating my thoughts as I reflect on my life and career. This is how it actually played out in my head one day last week:
So… my coworkers are going to kill me if they find out I did my long run today. I was supposed to rest today. The last two days I’d been sick and miserable at work. I was achy, stuffy, raspy, and cranky. I was scheduled off today so it was supposed to be a day for recouping. In my defense, I did sleep in and I do feel a little better. I’m a big proponent of “sweating it out” anyway. Besides, I really didn’t have a choice. I have this Turkey Trot in a week and today is my best chance for a training run. I have so many errands over the next few days, I work Saturday, Sunday is a baby shower, and then prepping for office Thanksgiving. Still, I know I’m going to get some head shakes if they find out. They may not understand, but it’s sweet that they care. I mean their concern is genuine, without a doubt. I am so fortunate. This makes me think about all of the great coworkers I’ve had over the years, some of whom are now great friends.
I’m at the laundromat now, making a grocery list and being lulled by my clothes playfully tumbling in the industrial dryers. All to the tune of Alicia Keys’ Fallin‘ in my earbuds. So far I’ve got down peanut butter and brown rice for the food bank. As part of the Turkey Trot, runners can drop off non perishable items at packet pick up. But I still have to decide what I’m making for Banksgiving! My giddiness has reached a new and preposterous level. Finally, we are in the throes of the holiday season. This is what it’s all about. Giving and gratefulness, friends and family; turkey, stuffing and peppermint mochas. This is all my jam.
My clothes took their final tumble and I checked the time, 4:53, I wanted to be at Wal-Mart by 5ish. I quickly folded as I decided on cranberry waffles for Banksgiving. I considered each person before I made my choice. There’s the sweet, mellow, laid back dad; the well-meaning, lovable nerd; the Chatty Cathy; and the cool, old school rock queen. These are of course only abbreviated versions of their personalities. They all bring something different to the table. Just like a great pot luck, there’s a healthy variety of flavors. You’ve got your buffalo chicken dip, your veggies (so you don’t feel too guilty), your deviled eggs, and your fancy cupcakes. Food day celebrates our differences and our unique bond. Sharing food is one of the best ways to support and nurture one another. It sounds corny but it’s the truth. I have Bridge Over Troubled Water coming through the ear buds now and I’m getting a little misty eyed (fate’s perfect timing). Okay so I get a little extra emotional when I’m sick. And now I’m shaking my head because it’s my coworkers that see that sentimental side of me the most. How do they put up with me?
We spend so much time at work, it’s inevitable that our work mates know us as much or better than anyone else. They’re the ones that see how you handle stress, how you react to good news and how you take your coffee. A great coworker is like comfort food to a runner. They’re safely familiar, they stir up good memories, and keep you going even when things are tough.
I pulled into Babies R Us; picking up a shower gift for a former co-worker. I browse the aisles like a kid in a candy store and think about how lucky I’ve been to form bonds with such wonderful people. I think about all the belly laughs, the tears of frustration and the million times we quoted Step Brothers and Mean Girls. There’s been game nights, crazy boyfriends, break-ups, first dates, gift exchanges, nicknames, inside jokes, and even hospital trips. There’s been a little bit of dancing…and jazz hands. I almost forgot about jazz hands! There’s so much, and it means so much that I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate important milestones with many of my coworkers; people who I am proud to know. It means even more to me that we’ve made the every day memorable too. At any moment I can think of something sweet or funny that a coworker did and it brings me joy. They’ve always made- and still make- work a place that I look forward to going. At this time of year when we put a spotlight on what we’re most grateful for, I can’t help but to think about my coworkers, past and present. I have a bigger heart for knowing most of them and I am eternally grateful for each and every one of them. Happy Thanksgiving!
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