home sweet home & love.

Well, fall semester has finally arrived! I'm officially moved into residence and all set-up for school. After a long long day of packing, unpacking, shopping, building, and arranging, I am now calling my suite home.

It is such a change from last year! Already it feels a zillion times more comfortable than my previous living arrangement. Maybe that's because I feel more prepared for the school year? Probably. But with a combination of other things too: having my mom and sister help make my room cozy, living with a friend, moving in good weather & feeling as if I have a purpose.

This summer has opened my eyes to what nursing will be like. Although working in a seniors home is not at all close to a hospital, the concept for caring for patients, or rather people, is the same. Working with the residents has taught me a lot of things - how to talk slowly and clearly, how to deal with hearing aids, dementia, and so on. But most importantly it has taught me how to show love. That may sound silly, but this was revelation for me. All through junior high and JMHS I had built walls around myself to simply survive the days. ECS helped me realize that being a teenager didn't have to be awful and began the process of bettering myself - but it wasn't until the end of this summer that I've finally felt as if I am showing myself to others in a true, open, and loving way. It's hard to talk about death and loneliness without showing your true colors. It's hard to see residents pass on without reflecting on your own interpretation of life and the afterlife. It's hard to deal with messes that happen day after day without focusing on love to get you through. It's hard to deal with suffering to one extent or another and not feel compassion. And plus, old people have a knack for seeing you for you, through all the modern day labels and stereotypes. So although I was hired to help the oldies, it seems as if they have helped me so much more.

I really want to keep this idea of love with me through out my school year. It has helped me through countless tiring and emotional situations at DP - I'm sure it will help me through clinicals this year and years to come. This experience has been a major blessing in my life through so many ways. Who knew that a simple summer job would be so significant?

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8