And It’s Got Pockets
Little girls and grown women alike are thrilled to find pockets in their clothes. Especially in an unexpected place. “And it has pockets” we are thrilled to announce when modeling our new finds. Why? Why are we so excited to have pockets in our clothing? For hiding things, of course. Our hands for one, and treasures of all kinds.
Nurses’ wardrobes are not based on comfort or style, they are based upon the quantity and quality of pockets. After all, our scrubs don’t get worn if they don’t have good pockets, and lots of them. Nurses are notorious for having pockets full of things. Stuff like pens, scissors, penlights, sharpies, money, chapstick, food, hair ties, heartache, loneliness, and loss. Occasionally our pockets hold our hands when we don’t know what else to do with them; like during tough patient conversations and confrontations with families; when we don’t know how to do something or we feel less than.
As we go through our nursing careers and life, in general, we gather things to put in our pockets. Some things we put in our pockets we never want to see again. Other things, we put in there for safe keeping and we bring them in and out as needed.
What are your pockets full of: regret; doubt; unfulfilled dreams; peace; love; or just pens?
The thing about pockets is that they are for hiding things, but you can still feel the weight of the thing that is in there. It may be out of sight but it’s not out of mind.
Do you have something in your pocket that you want to take out and re-examine? Do you have things that you have been hiding in there that you need to take out and just toss? Or do you have things in your pockets that you are keeping there because you do like the weight of them reminding you that they are in there?