You can learn a lot just by paying attention in the Waiting Room…

I spent nearly four hours in the local E.R. with my wife and son Tuesday night. A ‘runny nose’ on Monday, had progressed into ‘labored breathing with a fever of nearly 103 degrees’ for my one-year-old by Tuesday evening. And while this unexpected turn of events was certainly another “gut check” for Mommy and Daddy, I am happy to report that Charlie was back to his happy, playful self as he was being tucked into bed last night…with the added wheeze from the remnants of a respiratory infection, of course…

For those who were awaiting their daily article on ‘The Quill’ Wednesday, I apologize. However, I’m confident that our loyal audience will certainly understand the importance of my attention being directed to more significant matters over the past 36 hours.

As I sat there in that stale Waiting Room with Jenny and Charlie, I began to take notice of the dozens of others who were waiting along side us. I noticed that despite just how concerned I was for my child, their fears, anxiety, and apprehension were no less significant.

Whether it was the woman in the corner who was vomiting into a plastic bin, the basketball player with the obvious limp and discomfort, the man holding the bandage to his bleeding forehead, or the couple trying to comfort a sick child just as Jenny and I were, we were all in search of the relief that only the Hospital could offer that late at night…to feel better, to be patched up, or to have our anxieties put to rest.

We were all onboard a sinking ship together; our only lifeboats the doctors and nurses that awaited us through the heavy automatic doors at the end of the room. We were Black, White, Hispanic, Indian, and others. Yet, just like the souls onboard the Titanic, our illnesses and injuries made no distinctions based on race or class. So we waited…many who were obviously in far worse shape than we were. But everyone wanted the same ‘rescue:’ to feel better.

This is the time of year when we all want that exact same thing. Everyone, despite race or other “demographic classification,” and regardless of political ideology, all seek a time of peace, rest, and sentimental affirmation. We long for a return to the “simplicity of life” that gets lost in our daily routines, in our jobs, in the hustle-and-bustle within our homes, at our schools, on our roadways, and yes, even in those stale Emergency Rooms where our fears are often at their highest.

It truly is that endearing “most wonderful time of the year.”

So, for the next several days, ‘The Quill’ will set aside partisan politics and heated debate. There will be plenty of time for that when January arrives. But now, during the holidays, it’s time to focus on the ‘good things’ and the common ground that we all tread upon and share.

We invite you to join us as we build a fire, prop up our feet, sip some hot cocoa…and think upon the happier and more meaningful things in this world…

Relax and warm up by the fire...after all, "the weather outside is frightful."