One of my dear friends is a walking inspiration. We first met in our Fundamentals of Microbiology Lab in our junior year of college. As we became closer, I learned about all of her hardships. She was pregnant at 16 and is currently raising a beautiful five-year-old son. She's a full time student, microbiology major and pre-med, and also works at least 25 hours a week in over night shifts as an ER scribe. During her first two years of college, her stepfather passed away due to cancer. Shortly afterwards, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. This took a toll on her grades and her health as she dealt with the chronic stress. At age 22, she already has to deal with tremendous responsibilities: mortgages, loans, parent-teacher conferences, taking care of her mother, rent, etc. The list continues.
The most surprising part about my friend is how she has handled every situation. Instead of breaking down and allowing her problems consume her, she found a solution. Whether it was to work more hours to pay loans or cram for a test while she wrote doctor's charts, she always managed to succeed. I have no idea how she does it. I recall one week where she worked from 9pm to 7am, picked up her son from the house, drop him off at school at 8:00AM, and managed to make it our 8:30AM lab lecture. She didn't sleep. Through every dilemma she faced, she didn't find hopelessness, despair, or depression. Instead, she found strength, encouragement, and confidence. Whenever I'm stressed or believe that I can't do something, I think of my friend. She can do anything because she makes it possible. She wasn't afraid of challenges. She embraced them. There's something beautiful about that. Rare and beautiful.
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| To inspire a person is the greatest gift. Source. |
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