Prompt: Write a letter to a healthcare worker. It could be a person who took care of you or a loved one years ago. It could be someone you know who is working on the front lines of Covid-19, taking on the obvious risks but also contending with the very real compassion fatigue that comes with the job, all the more so now. Write without expecting anything in return. Write to say thank you.
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Ways to express gratitude: "Thank you." "Thanks." A smile. "I appreciate it." Flowers. "I'm so grateful." Applause.
Ways to acknowledge gratitude: "You're welcome." A smile. "It's nothing." "Of course." A nod. "Sure." "No problem." A dismissive wave. "My pleasure."
Of all the possible permutations of that transaction between patient and healthcare worker, the most uncomfortable might be to applaud for your gynecologist or proctologist, who responds with, "my pleasure." Ew.
Through a combination of general good health and frequent moves, I haven't had a longstanding relationship with a medical professional since my childhood pediatrician, who is no longer living. So this is a shoutout to healthcare workers everywhere.
Thank you for your courage, thank you for your tireless effort. Thank you for your endless font of compassion, or for faking it if the well runs dry. Whether you entered this profession for the prestige, the money, cultural or familial expectations, or genuine passion for the field, this moment must hardly be what you dreamed your career would entail. Keep fighting the good fight, and I hope not to see you any time soon. No offense.
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