"Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in the treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life.
You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something.
The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you." ~ John Gardner
Ward in the Hospital in Arles, by Vincent van Gogh
Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. How do I describe why I am a nurse? The quote sums it all up nicely.
I like to help people - that's a given - I don't know why anyone would enter into this particular profession if that weren't at least one of the reasons. But it's more than that too. It has to do with the people. Sick people, who are in a situation which, by its very nature, eliminates the masks and facades and bravado.
It's an artificial environment to be in. I have the role of caretaker and they have the role of the cared for, but the the true gift that comes from the work is the opportunity to get to know the patients and hear their stories. Everyone has a story to tell, and every story is fascinating. Every story is about defeat and victory , about joy and tragedy, and about the human condition on this big blue marble.
I have learned more about human suffering, the ways in which people will cope with such (or not cope) and the indomitable human spirit, than I could ever have in any non-healthcare profession.
I'm just drawn to all things medical. It simply fascinates me. I don't know why. It's in my bones. It all started when I took my first Chemistry class. I fell head-over-heels in love with it. Microbiology followed. That really cinched the deal. Pile my plate high! I ate Micro up with a large spoon. I couldn't get enough of it. Then, true bliss - Anatomy and Physiology!
That was 25 years ago! The rest, as they say, is history.
1 comment:
And lucky for the world that you did have that fascination and attraction to medicine. There are professions that require much more of a person than mere competence -- nursing is one of them. You have so much more than mere competence.
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