"I have a nephew about your age. I think... But I haven't talked to my son in years." 

Holiday time is my favorite. The lights, the food, and all the time spent with friends and family. I took it for granted as a child, but as I age I make it a priority to see family. During my time on the ambulance it was difficult to get those moments with family. I didn't take the time I got for granted, but the time was scarce. I did occasionally get jaded for some incidents I'm sure. However, seeing the emotional pain that a lot of the elderly community felt was tough. Seeing many atrocities in our lives (emergency services), the difficulty that elderly people felt during the holidays was the hardest for me. It made me think of my own family and especially my wife. Not being able to hold her hand someday is heart-breaking to think about. There are a lot of people already facing this sad reality.

There was a single call that I will always remember. Nothing exciting happened. There wasn't any blood, humor, or craziness involved in the 911. It was dispatched as an unknown medical aide. We arrived to find a ~85yo male seated upright in his arm chair. He lived in a nice community building with many neighbors, and it even had an ice cream parlor. When getting to this gentleman's side and asked how we could help, he only mumbled while looking down. After confirming a negative stroke scale I tried to ask more questions. But his responses reminded myself when I would feel down. "Meh... Idk... I guess...". I tried to progress the conversation, but the overwhelming depression he was in kept the answers short. Until I asked him straight up "What is making you so sad right now". 

This was the can of worms he wanted opened. He immediately went into various stories centered around his family. "Every year christmas comes I feel depressed. My wife died three years ago around this time, and my family hasn't so much as called in over a year." This reality crushed me... Here I was thinking that everyone cherished their family. Especially when they put them in such a nice living situation. But many families will call that enough. "We put you in a home, AND you want us to call you?" That may not be the thought process, but it might as well be. When do we all get so caught up in life that we forget those that taught us what life is? Will we ever change our ways, or will we get forced into reality when our loved ones start to fade away...