“Life’s been a journey…and
you have been my God through all of it”
It was May 2010. I had just consumed an early birthday lunch with my tennis playing friend and we headed to the local hospital to check in on our former manager. As we drove through the hospital parking lot, for some reason we were discussing babies and pregnancy. My friend, a male, commented how he was so glad he would never have to endure nine months of carrying a baby. I thought for a minute about this and replied, “I think of it as a journey”. He smiled and nodded, agreeing with my positive spin on pregnancy.
Fast forward five and a half years and here I am on this miraculous journey. I keep thinking about how many of the choices and experiences in my life have helped shape me for this journey. They’ve prepared me for what is to come. In my heart, I’ve always felt I was meant to be a mother. Specifically, I’ve always felt I was meant to raise a son. I have even had dreams about my future son and have prayed that one day I would be blessed with my own family. I grew up around little children and they were certainly fun to be around, but one particular scene stands out most in my mind. I distinctly remember registering for college and picking up my parking pass on campus in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York. On the way to campus, I spotted a mother helping her son cross the street near the post office. The two were hand-in-hand next to a stop sign as my car came to a stall. The boy wore a bright yellow jacket and jeans. He looked my way as he crossed in front of my car and I smiled at him. There was something pivotal about that moment for me. I was too young to be thinking seriously about having children, but it spurred a desire in my heart that has not left since.
I quite often think back through the choices that got me to where I am today. My college major choice, for example, propelled me into the business world. I was fascinated by management and leadership styles, and so chose to major in business administration as an undergraduate. In my early semesters of college, I developed a very strong passion for sports management after taking a coaching class freshman year. It was this passion that prompted me to change my specialization from MIS to Sport Management later on. After graduation, my specialization quickly got me several interviews in the field of sport management. I could have never predicted this career journey I was on would lead me into the medical field. But, I strongly believe that things are meant to happen as they do. My love for tennis and sports will never go away, and back then I didn’t think my future was in healthcare. I soon discovered a new passion---more like a compassion for people. Helping patients and being around a medical office environment opened my eyes to something I was truly good at---serving people. Customer service was definitely something I was accustomed to, but this was different. I enjoyed helping the people I worked with because it reminded me a little of coaching. I loved to teach, train and share my knowledge with others. Pretty soon I was content on working in Human Resources.
My career aspirations have changed several times throughout my life, but I believe all my experiences have taught me something more valuable than work habits and ethic. I’ve learned how to manage a business and know the fundamentals of negotiating and decision-making. Just maybe these skills will be life skills for me as a new mother. Compassion is something I will need. The ability to instruct and discipline is a skill that as a manager is helpful and as a mother is a requirement. Years ago, I wasn’t prepared for any of this. Along the way, I often wondered if I "got it right", if my choices in life were somehow going to make a difference down the road. It's funny how certain moments can turn your life around.
Today, I still don’t know if my husband and I are fully prepared for everything that lies ahead. I do know this-- that my husband is the best thing that could have happened to me. Of all the circumstances in my life, falling in love with him has been the most special of all. That was a journey in itself. We can't always control our circumstances, but when they turn out for the best, we can't help but smile. This all gives me hope as new parents-to-be. God's plan for us entails raising a son together. It will be a wild journey for both of us, but one that will ultimately fulfill a desire I've carried for a long time.
Today, I still don’t know if my husband and I are fully prepared for everything that lies ahead. I do know this-- that my husband is the best thing that could have happened to me. Of all the circumstances in my life, falling in love with him has been the most special of all. That was a journey in itself. We can't always control our circumstances, but when they turn out for the best, we can't help but smile. This all gives me hope as new parents-to-be. God's plan for us entails raising a son together. It will be a wild journey for both of us, but one that will ultimately fulfill a desire I've carried for a long time.
“I got it right
sometimes but sometimes I did not”
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