A Season of "Firsts"
It seems to be a season of lasts: last undergraduate class, last chapel, last Sunday brunch in the cafeteria, last Sunday night devo, last...last...last.
A friend of mine who is also graduating confessed to me how much she hates all these "lasts". "I think I am just going to cry all week," she said. So I told her optimistically, "Oh, don't cry! Then you will miss out on all the joy in store for us." Little did I know how much I was speaking to myself - probably even more than I was advising her.
I found myself in a melancholy mood today as I listened to our senior nursing class's graduation presentations. I suddenly realized how much I don't want this to be over. Which is funny because I have wanted to be done with nursing school and all its stresses and struggles ever since my first clinical orientation. I have longed for this moment for a solid two years. And now here I am, and tears well up in my eyes when I think about it coming to a close.
The truth is, I now realize why we had to go through everything we went through. I understand all the piles of paperwork, all the endless assignments, all the early morning clinicals, and all the seemingly pointless research article summaries. There were so many things of which I wondered at the time, why in the world are they putting us through this? And now, I see why. Nothing was meaningless. We have been prepared to be nurses - to be patient educators, client advocates, and compassionate servants. All the high expectations, haunting deadlines, and late nights in the nursing lounge have brought us to this: we love each other like family.
We have given our blood, sweat, and tears (literally) to this profession, these studies, and to this calling. And we have done it together! To my fellow nursing students, thank you. Those words seem so disappointingly small compared to how my bursting heart really feels. I could not have made it this far without you, and I am overwhelmed with thankfulness at what you have done for me and how much you have taught me during this season of life. As each of you shared your experiences from nursing school, lessons learned, and empowering Scriptures, I realized just how much of an impact you guys have had on me.
I suppose it is a season of "lasts", but it is also a season of so many "firsts". First resume, first interview, first job. First time to be a nurse! I keep reminding myself that the best is yet to come because God is sending us out all over the place, and He is going to use each of us in mighty ways to be his hands, feet, and heart.
Yes, there will be tears because we all love this place and all the memories it holds. Most of all, we have come to love each other. But I speak this over all of us (and especially myself) when I say, "Don't cry! Then you will miss out on all the joy in store for us." I beam with joy from the inside out when I think about each and every one of you and the difference you have made in my life as we have journeyed through nursing school together, and you will forever have a place in my heart.
A friend of mine who is also graduating confessed to me how much she hates all these "lasts". "I think I am just going to cry all week," she said. So I told her optimistically, "Oh, don't cry! Then you will miss out on all the joy in store for us." Little did I know how much I was speaking to myself - probably even more than I was advising her.
I found myself in a melancholy mood today as I listened to our senior nursing class's graduation presentations. I suddenly realized how much I don't want this to be over. Which is funny because I have wanted to be done with nursing school and all its stresses and struggles ever since my first clinical orientation. I have longed for this moment for a solid two years. And now here I am, and tears well up in my eyes when I think about it coming to a close.
The truth is, I now realize why we had to go through everything we went through. I understand all the piles of paperwork, all the endless assignments, all the early morning clinicals, and all the seemingly pointless research article summaries. There were so many things of which I wondered at the time, why in the world are they putting us through this? And now, I see why. Nothing was meaningless. We have been prepared to be nurses - to be patient educators, client advocates, and compassionate servants. All the high expectations, haunting deadlines, and late nights in the nursing lounge have brought us to this: we love each other like family.
We have given our blood, sweat, and tears (literally) to this profession, these studies, and to this calling. And we have done it together! To my fellow nursing students, thank you. Those words seem so disappointingly small compared to how my bursting heart really feels. I could not have made it this far without you, and I am overwhelmed with thankfulness at what you have done for me and how much you have taught me during this season of life. As each of you shared your experiences from nursing school, lessons learned, and empowering Scriptures, I realized just how much of an impact you guys have had on me.
I suppose it is a season of "lasts", but it is also a season of so many "firsts". First resume, first interview, first job. First time to be a nurse! I keep reminding myself that the best is yet to come because God is sending us out all over the place, and He is going to use each of us in mighty ways to be his hands, feet, and heart.
Yes, there will be tears because we all love this place and all the memories it holds. Most of all, we have come to love each other. But I speak this over all of us (and especially myself) when I say, "Don't cry! Then you will miss out on all the joy in store for us." I beam with joy from the inside out when I think about each and every one of you and the difference you have made in my life as we have journeyed through nursing school together, and you will forever have a place in my heart.
Comments
Post a Comment