Eight years ago I was in seminary school during the nights
and sunlighting (is that a thing?) as a banker.
I had no idea what lay ahead for me. I just knew I wanted to preach,
teach, and heal the broken hearted. The
best way I knew how to do that was through pastoring a church. Perhaps it was circumstance. Perhaps it was reading a very challenging
book on organized religion and church leadership. Perhaps it was a profound experience with Jesus. Maybe, it was all of it. I found myself with a deep, burning (no, not
kidney stones) to help those in need, and felt like I was living in a world
apart from the sick, hurting and destitute.
I felt like the world I lived in was one of people who knew the Bible,
who knew how to teach it, but had no idea what people yearned for, they had no
connection with humanity. I wanted
more. I wanted to be in the trenches and
so I changed my degree plan. The
following are some things I learned in this process.
1)
If you’re
not careful you will find yourself deeply connected to the hurting, so much in
fact that you find yourself lost, confused, and hurting too. So caution is part of the game. But, also it’s okay to hurt when others hurt. This
was tough, because I hate hurting. But,
through my experiences with clinicals and patients I was able to connect with
hurts in a brand new way.
2)
Nurses teach, teach, teach. Every time we walk into a patient’s room we
are teaching with our actions, our words, and our empathy. It’s brilliant, because in ways I teach more
now than I would have had I been a preacher.
Your life is teaching. So, recognize, and be aware of what you’re choosing
to teach with your actions, words, and empathy.
3)
We’re very, very fragile. It is unbelievable how important sodium,
potassium and glucose levels are. Diet
and exercise aren’t just fads, they are real deals. Our health and our bodies are dying, and yet
we treat them like they are invincible. We are not invincible. We are created beings, with short
opportunities to do everlasting things.
So it’s vitally important we live our lives knowing one day we may need
another person to wipe our ass. This
didn’t just make me depressed; it made me realize how very important my job
is. I want to be a damned good ass
wiper, because see point number 2.
4)
My journey involved getting married, and having
a baby, and preparing for a second child.
This journey taught me the power of trust
and faithfulness. There were so many
times I doubted, so many. I doubted I
would make it. I doubted I could be a
nurse. I doubted God even existed after
seeing so much depravity. But, God
always revealed his faithfulness to me, and through me. Why? I
don’t have a clue. Maybe cause God kinda
sorda digs us. He is always faithful and
he’s building my trust every second of every moment.
Becoming a nurse has taught me numerous
things…certainly much more than four.
The journey is far from over, but thank God that NCLEX is finished.
