Dec. 9th, 2002

Ho hum.

Dec. 9th, 2002 06:58 am
ladysprite: (hello)
And now we come to the least-pleasant part of December - the waiting. In some ways, I'm a fairly patient person. I can spend an hour and a half with my hand in a bird's cage, moving closer a millimeter at a time until the bird is standing on my finger. I can pick out and restitch the same piece half a dozen times until it's perfect enough in my eyes. As long as I can tell myself I'm working towards something, I can be patient. Unfortunately, passive waiting patience has never been my strong suit.

And now I'm waiting. Waiting for my birthday party, waiting to find out if more than three people will be there or if there will be the usual flood of last-minute cancellations, complications, and just-plain-forgetting. Waiting and worrying that, if people do come, they'll find it incredibly silly and boring.

After that comes the waiting to give gifts. All these lovely things stacked in my hidey-holes, waiting to be wrapped and given, as I sit and try not to fret and become extremely impatient to hand them out, to watch people's faces as they're opened and find out whether I've successfully matched gift to recipient.

There's the waiting to open gifts, too. Already a few particularly cruel acquaintances have sent packages that are sitting in my living room, taunting me with their bright colors and the mysteries hidden within. I suppose I could open them now - I'm technically a grownup, and there's noone to scold me, but I would feel terribly guilty and let down afterwards. So on the shelf they sit, and stare, and while I may be able to resist opening them I do have to wander by at least once a day to poke them, and lift them, and shake them gently, and torment myself by trying to guess what they might be....

And, to add to the seasonal waiting joy, this year there's waiting for callbacks for 'Midsummer Night's Dream,' and then waiting for casting announcements for the same. Not that I'm at all anxious about that. Nope, nope, nope. Not like I've been counting days and hours, or musing on the fact that casting announcements on my birthday could be either unspeakably good or heinously bad, but probably not much in between.

Grr. Wait, wait, wait. At least being cleverly disguised as an adult means that I have a job which is slightly more intriguing than school, so time flows a little faster. There went ten minutes just now....
ladysprite: (Default)
Some days just make it worth going through all the hell and the frustration in the world, to get to the good points.

I'm always ranting in here about the hectic, insane, obnoxious aspects of my job. Goodness knows there are plenty.... but there are good points, too. Marvelous, wonderful, incredible things that leave me with a goofy smile on my face for the rest of the day, wrap me in a feeling of joy, and remind me why this is the best possible career on earth.

Sometimes all it takes is seeing someone smile when I walk into the exam room - knowing that they're glad to see me, because they trust that I'll take good care of their pet. Having a client I know and like bring their new puppy in to see me, because they want only the best for their new baby. Even just hearing someone say, 'Thank you, doctor,' and knowing that I've made a difference in their day... I'm doing something good here, and it feels good that other people sometimes see that.

There are clients who make me want to tear my hair out, true. But there are also clients that have made me cry with their kindness. My desk is rapidly disappearing under a collage of photos of special patients - animals whose lives I've saved, others whose passing I eased, and yet more who have never had an ill day in their lives, but whose toenails I've trimmed and who I've helped through their puppy foibles. And there are more substantial rewards, especially at this time of the year - baskets of chocolate and cookies, little stuffed animals, beautiful christmas candles. All are addressed to me from the animals, of course; the owners are merely indulgent observers.

Still, while the gifts are sweet, it really is the thought that counts. The thought that I'm important enough to these people, that I'm a part of their lives, that they trust and respect me enough to choose me in particular as their doctor, not just as the default vet who happens to be on shift when they come in - that's the most valuable gif that they give me, and it's there every time they visit the office.

I love my job, and I love my clients, and I could never imagine doing anything else with my life.

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