12 Days of Reflection, Part II

You are invited to read the following reflections, which were submitted by employees of USA Health. Great appreciation to all of those who shared their stories and thoughts and gave us permission to share these reflections.  

Day Seven: Mama Sue’s Sugar Cookies

Have you ever found yourself crying over a bowl of sugar cookie dough? OK, maybe just me. My Mama Sue (the name I affectionately called my grandmother) had a signature sugar cookie recipe that has been passed around in my family for years. There aren’t many bells and whistles to the recipe, and I think that is what makes it one of the best. Mama Sue’s “Melt-in-your-mouth” sugar cookies have always been a staple at family holiday functions.

One of my proudest moments is when I decided to make them for the first time several years ago, during the Christmas season. The simplicity of the recipe gave me the confidence to take on the challenge and attempt to recreate a foundational part of my family’s holiday traditions. It was also a way I wanted to remember and honor my grandmother that year, because she had died a few years prior and the holidays had been difficult since then. I felt such joy and honor in the cookie making process. The classic Christmas music was playing, and I was thinking of how my grandmother would have loved that I was making one of her signature sweet treats.

Grief is a fascinating process we go through as humans. It feels like we never really know what stage we are in because at any moment it can sneak up on us and shake us to our core. Or in my case, unexpectedly cause me to add a few tears to my sugar cookies. I was struck by sadness and longing to be in my grandmother’s presence. I felt that emptiness of her not being here for a joy-filled Christmas season. I wanted her to be here to have a cup of coffee and eat a cookie with me. Who knew that making sugar cookies could evoke such strong emotions? It felt odd because the immense wave of sadness that hit me in that moment was also paired with the existing satisfaction of stepping into my grandmother’s shoes and connecting with her through baking. I felt heartbroken by my grandmother’s absence AND I felt delighted to be making her cookies for my family.

We are resilient human beings who can hold more than one emotion at once. Perhaps, that is what we need to remember about grief every day, but especially during the holiday season. There does not have to be a dichotomy between a magical holiday season and a disenchanting one. Can’t we experience both at the same time as we venture through our own journeys of grief? The simple practice of gratitude helps me during this time while I walk through my own grief during the holidays. Gratitude reminds me that my co-existing emotions don’t have to be complicated or too much to grasp. I can miss my grandmother, long for past traditions, AND be grateful for eating those same cookies with my family as we reminisce about all of the memories we had with Mama Sue. May each of you confidently hold the fullness of your holiday experience!

Taylor Hamm, University South Alabama Counseling Intern 

Day Eight: The Season of Christmas

Christmastime arrives like a soft breath at the end of a long year, inviting us to pause in ways we often forget to do. As the world outside grows still and the nights stretch a little longer, this season offers a gentle reminder that light does not need to be overwhelming to be transformative. A single candle, a quiet act of kindness, or a moment of genuine connection can brighten more than we realize.

Christmas encourages us to slow our pace and look closely at the ordinary moments we often rush past. The laughter of family gathered around a table, the warmth of a shared meal, the comfort of familiar traditions, or even the quiet solitude of a winter’s evening — these are the places where meaning hides. The simple things, when seen with gratitude, become extraordinary.

For many, Christmas is filled with joy, reunion, and celebration. Homes feel full again, and hearts feel lighter. Yet this season also carries a tender side. It has a way of stirring old memories — some sweet, some bittersweet — and reminding us of people we miss, moments we cherished, and blessings we once took for granted. Christmas does not shy away from these emotions. Instead, it holds them gently, letting us acknowledge both the happiness and the longing that live within us.

At its heart, Christmas is a celebration of giving — not just the exchange of gifts, but the giving of ourselves. It calls us to generosity of spirit: offering forgiveness where it’s needed, patience where it’s scarce, and compassion where it could make all the difference. These quiet gifts often outlast any package placed beneath a tree. They shape relationships, heal old wounds, and remind us that goodness is a choice we can make again and again.

Christmastime is also a season of reflection — a time to look back on the path we’ve traveled and forward to the one that lies ahead. It asks us what we’ve learned, what we’ve loved, what we’ve outgrown, and what we hope to become. It invites us to carry forward the lessons of the year with a heart made softer by gratitude and steadier by hope.

As we move through this season, may we remember to notice the beauty in the small moments, to speak words that bring comfort, and to extend kindness even when it’s inconvenient. May we embrace the truth that even in uncertain times, light still returns — steadily, faithfully, quietly — and that we, too, can be bearers of that light.

And when the decorations come down and the pace of life resumes, may the peace, warmth, and generosity of Christmastime linger with us, guiding the way we live, love, and care for one another in the days to come.

Emily Hughes, RN, MSN, Manager, Quality and Performance Improvement, Children’s & Women’s Hospital 

Day Nine: Trials & sufferings; but why, Lord?

The holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Some dealing with the loss of a loved one or others trying to cope with a chronic illness. I have a lot of “why” questions that I want to ask the Lord when I get to Heaven. I say that, but it likely will not even matter. When I think of sufferings, I think of The Apostle Paul (previously known as Saul on the Road to Damascus). He spent over half of his life serving Christ, and yet he experienced suffering. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Why would God let one of His servants (or us) go through so much pain? We may be asking the same question because of issues we face today.

Many believe the Lord should prevent hardship, but He doesn’t necessarily do so in this life. Here is a glimpse of Paul’s sufferings in scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:23-30

Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.

Maybe our reasoning is backward. We may think faithful Christians don’t deserve to suffer. But suffering aids in the development of faithful Christians. If we all had a life without trials or pain, we’d never really know God, because we’d never need Him. Adversity teaches us more about the Lord than simply reading the Bible ever will. If what we believe is never tested by adversity, it remains head knowledge. The Lord gives us opportunities to apply scriptural truths to the difficulties facing us, and in the process, we find Him faithful. How would Paul ever have known the strength of Christ if he had never been weakened by persecution, pain, and adversity? Trials can either build our faith or lead to discouragement. If you’ll believe what Scripture says and apply its principles to your situation, your trust in God will grow. In that way, your faith will be strengthened through adversity.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. — Romans 12:12

PRAYER: God, it’s only by Your power that I can have joy, patience and faith in this moment. Please remind me that You’re close to those who suffer and meet me in my prayers. May I utter these prayers of encouragement without ceasing as I struggle through trials and hardships with your unwavering love by my side. I pray for all my brothers and sisters across USA Health and the University of South Alabama during this holiday season. Amen.

Michael Davis, Director, Emergency Services, Providence Hospital 

Day 10: What December Taught Me About Love That Lasts

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year, not for gifts, but for what it represents such as love, resilience, and community. I learned this lesson as a child in December of 1997. My mother, struggling financially, couldn’t afford presents that year. I remember her distress vividly and that she still put up our little fake tree with its colorful lights. One night, I sat in front of that tree and prayed for the things we needed like food and our house we were renting. Also, I prayed for my mom because I worried about her distress. That moment changed me. It taught me that Christmas isn’t about what’s under the tree; it’s about the hope we carry forward.

Years later, that hope grew when my late husband, Brian, who escorted me as the Christmas Belle at our high school Winter Formal on Dec. 10, 2005. We went to high school together and had mutual friends. I was able to get his phone number and called him directly and asked if he would take me to the Winter Formal. He said, “yes” and we began officially dating two days after the dance. I think he liked my sporadic confidence. He was kind, selfless, and full of quiet strength, the kind of person who made everyone feel valued. Our first Christmas together was simple; he gifted me a snow globe with dolphins that lit up and played music. Over seven years, Brian taught me what commitment was all about. I helped him with his college projects while I worked trying to decide if I was even going to go to college. His sister played a pivotal role in me making the decision to go to college; I don’t think that I ever told her that. Hearing and seeing the accomplishments and activities she was doing throughout her college career made me want the same thing. She was my inspiration and with the help of Brian I had the confidence to do it. I wanted to go to college, get a good job, and be able to have the financial ability to build a life with him.

When he proposed on New Year’s Eve 2011, I felt like everything had fallen into place, things were going to be OK. But just a year later, on Dec. 27, 2012, Brian passed away, just 20 days after we married in a hospital room surrounded by love. Losing him was unimaginable, yet in that darkness, I witnessed the true spirit of the season. Nurses decorated the waiting room for our wedding reception. Friends brought food, had the wedding dress I wore donated to me, and a local baker donated my wedding cake. His family already embraced me as their own, but that day it was official. That sense of community carried me through the hardest days of my life. Today, the community that surrounded us has become my lifelong friends.

When I look back at the seven years I had with Brian, he taught me that the holidays aren’t about material things but that they are about showing up, giving back, and loving deeply. Every light, every song, every act of kindness reminds me of him and the lesson he gave: the greatest gift we can give is ourselves. So, this season, let’s honor that spirit by reaching out, lending a hand, and making someone’s holiday brighter. Because the most meaningful gifts are what we can do for others.

Sheila Dorgan, Associate Manager, Patient Support Care Services, MCI Business Development/Outreach 

Day 11: A Lifetime of Caring

As I approach retirement and celebrate over 40 years of nursing, I find myself deeply thankful for a life spent in service to others. Over half of my lifetime has been devoted to healthcare — the long hours, the busy holidays, birthdays spent in the hospital, and even the stormy nights when patients still needed care. Nursing has never been just a job for me. It has been my ministry, my purpose, and my identity.

Through the years, I’ve cared for patients from every walk of life, each one teaching me something new about compassion, patience, and faith. Recently, I helped an older patient get dressed after an endoscopy procedure. I assisted her with her undergarments, then her socks and shoes. As I knelt to help her tie her shoes, she told me she didn’t think nurses still did that kind of hands-on work. I smiled and said I was taught many years ago that caring for patients means caring for the whole person — and that I love what I do.

I have mentored students, trainees and new nurses, hoping to pass along not only clinical skills but also a heart for service. Over the decades, the hospital became my second home, and my coworkers became my extended family.

Now, as I turn 65 and step into retirement, I am filled with peace and gratitude. I pray for continued health and strength so I can keep helping others in new ways. Though I may hang up my fulltime badge, I will never hang up my calling — to care, to comfort, and to give.

And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. — Galatians 6:9

Veronica Hudson, RN, MSN, DNP 

Day 12: A Baby Changed Everything!

At USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital we deliver over 2800 babies per year — some tiny, some just the right size. Some premature, some that have left their parents waiting a few extra days for their sweet delivery. I can't help but think at Christmas we celebrate that one sweet baby changed everything for our world!

For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you : you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager. — Luke 2:8-20

Wishing for you and family a joyous Christmas season!

Debbie Browning, MSN, RN, Chief Executive Officer, Children’s & Women’s Hospital