I’m fortunate enough to have a large chunk of the Christmas season off, for one reason or another. At one time, though, this meant almost nothing to anyone I worked with.

See, in a lot of undustries, there is no slack time. Where I worked, in the steel industry, coke batteries and blast furnaces didn’t wait for Jesus to be born, and then go back to work- a coke battery and a blast furnace need to be tended when it is their time and nothing will stop that. So a lot of folks in the steel mills tend to work those holidays, maybe spending a few moments here and there with family before going to work and toiling all night or day.

Likewise- healthcare workers, police, ambulance crews, fire departments, soldiers- a whole awful lot of folks are busy this Christmas. When I did jobs that required my persistent presence during the holidays, I used to look at the homes with unplowed driveways and think about how nice it must be not to have to get out of bed early on Christmas day. Now that I have that luxury, I’m mindful of those who are up and about when I’m in my warm bed, and I say a prayer for them. Maybe you would like to, as well.