visits and thoughts

Mom and Dad came to see us twice in the past two weeks. They drove through on their way to Kansas and back. It was really nice to get to chat although the time was quite short. Made me think fondly of the hours spent around their table and on their deck in CA. We talked about everything we could think of and then some. And of course drank tea. They were brave and slept on a air mattress in the living room. Work has been busy. My ER saw a record of 146 patients in a 24 hr period last Monday. It was a record that no one wanted to repeat (except for possibly the business office). Only 6-7 yrs ago the ER was less than 15 beds (I think?) and now we have a 30 bed ED that still does not hold everyone! Makes me think of the old adage, "If you build it they will come." I have been thinking about my culture and the fact that most people in it do "group think" much better than individual thinking. I wish sometimes that it was not so hardwired into my system. I feel like I should have a big group of people around me the majority of the time. Which does not really happen-- unless I am at work (The chances of me feeling connected to that group varies from day to day). So how do I put this part of my culture to good use and feel ok when I am not in a large crowd???