I was reading the helpful post in this thread by ER Nurse, and it inspired me to start this thread about people in professions that are often underappreciated, or at least taken for granted.
Nurses: They work long shifts, come in at a moment’s notice, and often drown in mounds of paperwork instead of doing what they wanted to do when they became nurses–take care of people. And they do that too. They help babies come into the world, and they watch as patients they’ve grown attached to leave it, sometimes too soon.
Teachers: They’re not all great, but a lot of them are. And the best ones can be inspiring. Their workdays don’t stop when the kids go home, either; I imagine they spend a lot of evenings grading papers and planning. Can you imagine reading 25 research papers written by 16-year-olds? Ack. (Special thanks goes out to Carolyn Brown, my 10th grade English and “Poetry and Short Story” teacher. Thanks, Mrs. Brown. You changed my life.)
Animal Control Workers
Back in May there was an excellent Chicago Reader article about one of Chicago’s best, but I’m having trouble finding the link.
Firefighters
It takes a special person to run straight into danger when everyone else is running away.
All of our military personel who have ever served.
Thank you all very much for what you do, and what you have done.
Sanitation and Sewage treatment workers.
Seriously. Someone’s gotta do it, they do. And we actually got a really interesting tour of the local sewage treatment plant for chemistry last year.
Children’s Advocacy/Social Workers.
I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for these people. The things they see and deal with on a daily basis take strength and dedication that I just don’t have. Thank you.
Moms and dads who volunteer at school, so kids have enough adults in the class room. Those who make treats on a minutes notice, cut out 35 big orange pumpkins out of construction paper so the kids can glue black triangles on them to make jack’o’lanterns. Those who go to school so the kids can have an adult to read to or work on math facts with. Moms and dads who eat in a cafeteria with 150 6 year olds, so the lunch duty teacher doesn’t feel so overwhelmed.