Things are finally settling back into some sense of normalcy, whatever that is :).

After months of frequently filling in for one co-worker or another, I am enjoying a new sense of calm and sanity. (I’d better not hold my breath; someone might call in sick tonight, yet.)

One of my co-workers at the reception desk likes to say, “Normal is only a setting on a clothes dryer.” I think this funny little saying actually holds more than a grain of truth.

Despite my relishing of life’s return to “normalcy,” yesterday, again, really was far from it.

On holidays, we work with a minimal staff, allowing many people a day off to be with their families. The rest of us, then, have to compensate a bit.

In the morning, I was working my normal shift at the reception desk, but wanted to offer a fun activity for our residents. I was able to hook up our laptop to the large screen TV and broadcast a patriotic sing along for them.

In the afternoon, I served patriotic Popsicles and pretzels, thanks to Sr. Elaine who had made a grocery run the night before and another staff member who had provided the pretzels (dipped in almond bark and accented with red and blue sprinkles). This was after our “reading hour,” which drew from thematically chosen stories and poems.

Later that evening, I did not observe my normal bedtime. Having obtained the needed permission to be out past 10, I facilitated firework watching for our residents from the top floor of the facility.

I guess, maybe we’ll never really have NORMAL…I guess I’d better just view every day as a blessing and try to appreciate the gifts that come every time our feet hit the floor in the morning, whether the day seem normal or not.

Sr. Christina M. Neumann, OSF

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