Choose to live!

I have the day off!! Woo-hoo!!! Can you tell I'm excited about it? It's just a preview of what my schedule will be when I begin my normal work schedule with my new job. (I will only work three days a week!) For now, my hours are just plain crazy. So far, the job is crazy busy, overwhelming, and stressful, but I do love being a part of the healthcare field!

I miss the comfort of my school job, and the familiar feeling of everything. It was my comfort zone for a long time. It takes me a little longer than the average person to get into a comfort zone, so this is going to be a process. I don't mind though, as I am so thankful for this opportunity to earn more to help my family and provide insurance benefits for us all!

So far, I have learned a great deal in my new venture. One big reminder is seeing that people are hurting and struggling. Another is that some people think they have it tough in their jobs. Others truly do have it tough in their jobs. I really don't see how nurses do it day in and day out. The level of stress they endure and the activity they have to keep up with makes my head spin just to watch.

Along with my new experiences the past several days is one that I never thought I would be able to handle. Interesting that I have always taken everything I do very seriously, but now I see the true seriousness of what I'm taking part in. If things aren't done right, lives are literallly affected and possibly lost. Some losses aren't in the control of any human, and I experienced one of those last week. I saw a tiny body of a pre-term child that never had a chance to take his first breath. If I had thought of this ahead of time, I probably would have thought that there was no way I could face it without being devastated. Instead, God used that moment to show me that each life is so precious. The perfectly formed little boy reminded me that lives are formed WAY before they enter our world. He also reminded me that life is fleeting, so fragile, and that there is some peace found in death. Such a strange experience, but one I used to reinforce my belief in choosing LIFE.

I choose to live each day and not let life get me down. Yes, I'm pooped, but I choose to live. Today, I choose to rest, even though I'm going to be running around this morning for a little while, but I will enjoy my day off and relax my spirit. I will make an extra effort to treasure those around me, as life is not guaranteed to us another day. I hope that everyone who reads this will choose to live today and every day, and that we all will be bold in reminding others how important it is TO CHOOSE LIFE.