Ahh, karma. Sometimes you love it, sometimes you hate it. Tuesday, I loved it.
Remember when I told you about Jodi Picoult's literary masterpiece, My Sister's Keeper? I told you how phenomenal it was and how it impacted me deeply because the story hit too close to home? The story resonated with me day and night, and I was counting down the days until its matching movie would be released - Friday, June 26th. I told you how scared I was about the movie doing the book injustice, how it had to be impossible to maintain the emotion Jodi Picoult so passionately crafted, to maintain the pulse of each character's struggle to fight through their family's battle with cancer.
Well, I completely, randomly stumbled upon two advanced-screening tickets to the movie, so Jonathan and I went up to a Cleveland theater last night, braved the crowds and media and police officers, and saw "my movie" a few days early. Now mind you, we are not VIP people. I am your average-girl-next-door who dates an average-web-designer-guy, and we live average lives full of things that are not even in the neighborhood of scoring advanced movie passes, not to mention advanced movie passes to my movie. Crazy, crazy...
But enough about that...
A little refresher?
Brian and Sara Fitzgerald have two beautiful children, Jesse and Kate. When Kate, their baby, comes down with a rare form of leukemia, they exhaust their options to save her. All but one, that is. So stopping at nothing, Brian and Sara, through in vitro fertilization, conceive a child to be an exact bone marrow match for Kate. At birth, Anna's cord is immediately taken to treat Kate. But the line is not drawn there. As Kate continues to go in and out of disease and remission, Anna is always there to share blood or cells or whatever Kate medically needs. After all, she is a perfect genetic match for her older sister - she was created just for that purpose. Brian and Sara seem to lose sight of anything but Kate, helping Kate get better, curing Kate. When Kate is hospitalized, Anna is usually right there too, undergoing surgeries, procedures, and needles to help her sister get better. Meanwhile? Their family is breaking at the seams. Tension abounds. Jesse is left to fend for himself. Anna is sure she's invisible. Finally, at the age of 13 - for reasons you will be shocked to hear - Anna decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. Kate needs a kidney, and there, Anna has to draw the line.
In the movie, the characters are so believable that you feel like you are joining the family. Cameron Diaz gets to play the intricate Sara, and I think her fiercely determined performance - as well as Jason Patric's objective and tender Brian - was spot-on. Abigail Breslin did a powerful and convincing rendition of Anna, and Sofia Vassilieva will surprise you at the strength, passion and courage she lends to her character, cancer-stricken Kate. All of these characters will gently move you, challenge your beliefs, and teach you what life could be like if cancer hit your child, your sister, yourself as a young girl.
I was honestly scared that the movie would be a forged, fumbled mess of a story trying to follow such a sacred, breathtaking novel, but I was pleasantly surprised. With a few intelligent changes and story twists, the film was basically a lighter, more concise, direct form of the book. Where the book used descriptive words and beautiful explanations, the film used talented actors who subtly added shouting emotion to their roles, leaving you jarred with the heaviness of the elements and the touching capacity of the story's gentle tenderness.
Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life
If you knew how lonely my life has been And how long I've been so alone And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along And change my life the way you've done
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
A window breaks, down a long, dark street And a siren wails in the night But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me And I can almost see, through the dark there is light
Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me And how long I've waited for your touch And if you knew how happy you are making me I never thought that I'd love anyone so much
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
My Sister's Keeper, the movie, was done by Nick Cassavetes, director of tearjerkers the Notebook and Walk to Remember. The Notebook worked because of its timeless love story and charming chemistry, and Walk to Remember worked because of its feel-good story and its role of anchoring the sappy storyline debut in a my generation's teen film genre. My Sister's Keeper, however, worked because of Picoult's mastery, an amazing cast, and the fearlessness of accurate portrayals. Cancer wasn't made out to be the quiet disease it isn't. There were nosebleeds, bruises, dry lips, incontinence, and vomiting of blood. There was yelling and screaming. A soon-ending life wasn't made out to be a fairy tale with Walk to Remember underscores. There were pursuits, tears, promises, and passion. When it's the end, there's no time for wishing this or that happened, being frustrated you never whatever or whatever. The movie recognizes this.
I've been at many of these places in my life, and I didn't realize until halfway through the movie that my jaw was clenched with my teeth digging into my left index finger. Jonathan has taken the time to become a part of my history and to understand so much about my past struggles that after the film, he admitted to me that he had to distance himself at many points. I also called my mom and told her under no circumstance was she to see this movie - if the bone marrow scene didn't get to her (she heard me screaming during mine and subsequently spent the time throwing up in the bathroom), then surely another scene would - perhaps where the doctor diagnoses toddler Kate with leukemia or where teenage Kate uses all of her strength to comfort her grieving mom. If you recognize something in your life being similar to the storyline, I'm going to warn you that it will be hard to watch, but if you're willing to face the disgusting injustice of childhood cancer and see how it really impacts a family, this is a must-see film.
I'm so glad that the destruction of an ill child's battle was not painted eternally-sunny like a Disney movie or even cheesy and trying-too-hard like a Lifetime Movie. Accurately, Cameron Diaz's relentless fight became weary and almost automatic. Being a child shoved from dress-up and play dates into cold hospitals and illness was portrayed realistically - kicking and screaming before a procedure, a bone marrow aspiration scene in which a large needle drills into a thick hipbone of a tiny girl, and parents confronting the unimaginable... and at the point of an adolescent, having one too many painful days until enough is enough and you just want it all to end, be it by a mouthful of drugs or some other means. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, these scenes are nothing but reality to the lives of many families all over the world. This movie is accurate, and it's hard to watch, yes. But, like I said, I believe this is a must-see film. The world needs to get a glimpse into the world of what life could be like and to in turn be grateful for each day of health, each day of life, each day of sunshine. I hope Jodi Picoult got a ton of money from selling her story to Warner Brothers, but most of all, I hope she is proud of how the book to movie transition was orchestrated, and I hope she gains lots of new readers as a result. I hope her fresh, haunting, all-too-realistic story shakes lives and humbles its viewers.
Be brave and go see this movie. Peek into the lives of too many people on this planet. Hug your children and be thankful for their health. Live your life with passion and without regrets.
I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it's not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far better than never having had those children at all.
She pushes back from me, until she can look me in the eye. "Don't be," she says fiercely. "Because I 'm not." She tries to smile, tries so damn hard. "It was a good one, Mom, wasn't it?"
I bite my lip, feel the heaviness of tears. "It was the best," I answer.
In our living room we have a whole shelf devoted to the visual history of our family. Everyone's baby pictures are there, and some school head shots, and then various photos from vacations and birthdays and holidays. They make me think of notches on a belt or scratches on a prison wall - proof that time's passed, that we haven't all just been swimming in limbo.
There are double frames, singles, 8x10s, 4x6s. They are made of blond wood and inlaid wood and one very fancy glass mosaic. I pick up one of Jesse - he's about two, in a cowboy costume. Looking at it, you'd never know what was coming down the pike.
There is Kate with hair and Kate all bald; one of Kate as a baby sitting on Jesse's lap; one of my mother holding each of them on the edge of a pool. There are pictures of me, too, but not many. I go from infant to about ten years old in one fell swoop.
Maybe it's because I was the third child, and they were sick and tired of keeping a catalog of life. Maybe it's because they forgot.
It's nobody's fault, and it's not a big deal, but it's a little depressing all the same. A photo says, You were happy, and I wanted to catch that. A photo says, You were so important to me that I put down everything else to come watch.
Anna, p130
Rarely do books draw you in and leave an indelible impression on your heart before you ever know it. Sometimes an author's story captivates a reader not by any literary feat but simply by the passionate voice by which it's told. Other times, an author has simply mastered how to craft an intricate story with painstaking detail and beautiful illustrations, how to weave a web that surfaces with many different angles all throughout the pages, how to weave you in and out of every side of critical issues and viewpoints. It's those few authors who are so gifted that they can naturally maintain a powerful yet subtle voice, a voice that speaks volumes by simply telling the story with careful timing, deliberate revelations,and sufficiently preceded developments.
Jodi Picoult is one of those authors, and I just finished "My Sister's Keeper," a novel that many of her fans argue to be one of her best. People magazine touts, "This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with its stunning topic." The San Jose Mercury News reviewed it as, "Full of insight, inspiration, and heartbreak... Picoult's handling of the central issue is flawless."
Truly flawless, indeed.
Picoult bravely and boldly created the 400+ page novel, molding topics such as childhood cancer with controversial topics such as "designer babies" and heavy issues like how far a mother's love will go, or should go. Picoult's writing shines because of how deeply she researches topics in her books, and this one is no exception. I've lived through a leukemia diagnosis and years of ins and outs of illness, so I've seen firsthand just how dramatically the family structure can change, how differently each member can cope. Picoult didn't see a need to carefully tiptoe around the issue - she faces it head on and does so with stunning accuracy and amazing thoroughness. As careful as I read, I felt she handled the topic with absolute truth and amazing perspective. The way she interweaves all of the characters, themes, and storylines found throughout this book is just phenomenal.
About five years ago a new family bought the house across the street and knocked it down, wanting to rebuild something different. A single bulldozer and a half-dozen waste bins were all it took; in less than a morning this structure, which we'd seen every time we walked outside, was reduced to a pile of rubble. You'd think a house would last forever, but the truth is a strong wind or a wrecking ball can devastate it. The family inside is not so different.
Nowadays I can hardly remember what that old house looked like. I walk out the front door and never recall the stretch of months that the gaping lot stood out, conspicuous in its absence, like a lost tooth. It took some time, you know, but the new owners? They did rebuild.
Sara, p394
Brian and Sara have two beautiful children, Jesse and Kate. When Kate, their baby, comes down with a rare form of leukemia, they exhaust their options to save her. All but one, that is. Brian and Sara, through in vitro fertilization, conceive a child to be an exact bone marrow match for Kate. At birth, Anna's cord is immediately taken to treat Kate. But the line is not drawn there. As Kate continues to go in and out of disease and remission, Anna is always there to share blood or cells or whatever Kate medically needs. After all, she is a perfect genetic match for her older sister - she was created just for that purpose. Brian and Sara seem to lose sight of anything but Kate, helping Kate get better, curing Kate. When Kate is hospitalized, Anna is usually right there too, undergoing surgeries, procedures, and needles to help her sister get better. Meanwhile? Their family is breaking at the seams. Tension abounds. Jesse is left to fend for himself. Anna is sure she's invisible. Finally, at the age of 13 - for reasons you will be shocked to hear - Anna decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. Kate needs a kidney, and there, Anna has to draw the line.
That's all I'm saying. This book drew me in on the first page, and usually I have a hard time getting "into" a book. As this story slowly and carefully unfolds, you'll discover things that will completely shock you, and you'll realize some characters' secrets, and you'll be tantalized as Picoult repeatedly chooses to wait for disclosure.
And when you finally do solve the mini "mysteries," you'll understand why Picoult held onto you for so long. The way she tells this story, with all of the different characters, is perfectly precise. You'll think it took her a decade to write a book so purposefully connected and on-track, with so many spins, controversy, and simple truths.
It's no surprise to me that Picoult's beautiful novel has been made into a movie (as I recently blogged about), to be released June 26. Cameron Diaz will play the intricate Sara (a role I think would be nearly impossible to get "just right"), and Abigail Breslin will play the spirited Anna. I've heard from many sources (including Picoult herself) that the movie will not follow the same ending of the book. If you read the book, you'll see how many different things are wrapped up into the ending, so I'm curious about which parts will be changed in the movie. The part about Anna? The part about Kate? The part about Campbell? It's driving me crazy! I can't wait to find out. :)
If you're going to see the movie (or just enjoy phenomenal reading), go pick up the book. I hate to be prejudice, but I really don't see how this book can be done justice by Hollywood. The story is just too beautiful, the writing just too deep. It touched my heart in so many ways and showed me different perspectives of each person involved in the relentless fight against a troubled, broken body... of troubled, broken love. To understand just how much, you'll have to read for yourself.
I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it's not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far better than never having had those children at all.
She pushes back from me, until she can look me in the eye. "Don't be," she says fiercely. "Because I 'm not." She tries to smile, tries so damn hard. "It was a good one, Mom, wasn't it?"
I bite my lip, feel the heaviness of tears. "It was the best," I answer.
Kate, p395
.....
A few of my other favorite quotes from the book:
After my BMT, I got graft-versus-host disease - which is sort of good, because it kicks the leukemia's butt, but it also does some funky stuff to your skin and organs. The doctors gave me steroids and cyclosporine to control it, and that worked, but it also managed to break down my kidneys, which is the emergency flavor of the month. That's pretty much the way it goes - fix one leak in the dike just in time to watch another one start spouting. Something is always falling apart in me."
Kate, p160
The human capacity for burden is like bamboo - far more flexible than you'd ever believe at first glance.
Brian, p196
The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like firewords, quick rips in the seam of the dark. "Oh!" Anna exclaims, and she lies down so that she can see better."
"It's the Perseids," I tell her. "A meteor shower."
"It's incredible."
Shooting stars are not stars at all. They're just rocks that enter the atmosphere and catch fire under friction. What we wish on, when we see one, is only a trail of debris.
In the upper left quadrant of the sky, a raidant bursts in a new steam of sparks. "Is it like this every night, while we're asleep?" Anna asks.
It's a remarkable question - Do all the wonderful things happen when we are not aware of them? I shake my head. Technically, the earth's path crosses this comet's gritty tail once a year. But a show as dynamic as this one might be once in a lifetime.
Brian, p200
There are some things we do because we convince ourselves it would be better for everyone involved. We tell ourselves that it's the right thing to do, the altruistic thing to do. It's far easier than telling ourselves the truth.
Campbell, p216
"What are you getting," I ask.
"What do you want me to get?"
"The filet. That way I can taste it if I get the sole." I fold my menu. "Did you hear the results of the last CBC?"
Brian looks down at the table. "I was sort of hoping that we could come here to get away from all that. You know. Just talk."
"I'd like to talk," I admit. But when I look at Brian, the information that leaps to my lips is about Kate, not us. I have no call to ask him about his day - he has taken three weeks off from the station. We are connected by and through sickness.
We fall back into silence. I look around XO Cafe and notice that chatter happens mostly at tables where the diners are young and hip. The older couples, the ones sporting wedding bands that wink with their silverware, eat without the pepper of conversation. Is it be cause they are so comfortable, they already know what the other is thinking? Or is it because after a certain point, there is simply nothing left to say?
Sara, p235
In another pile are her baby pictures - all taken when she was three, or younger. Gap-toothed a grinning, backlit by a sloe-eyed sun, unaware of what was to come. "I don't remember being her," Kate says quietly, and these first words make a bridge of glass, one that shifts beneaath my feet as I step into the room.
I put my hand beside hers, at the edge of one p hoto. Bent at a corner, it shows Kate as a toddler bneing tossed into the air by Brian, her hair flying behind her, her armms and legs starfish-splayed, certaikn beyond a doubt that when she fell to earth again, there would be a safe landing, sure that she deserved nothing less.
"She was beautiful," Kate adds, and with her pinky she strokes the glossy vivid cheek of the girl none of us ever got to know.
Sara, p322
In the English language, there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parent who loses a child.
It's catch up time on the blog! Lots of stuff going on, and Baby Itty Bitty is finally taking a nap. So here we go...
To update you on the drama at my school, here's an email we all got from the President of our university (lol):
An event intended to celebrate the end of the semester grew out of control this weekend. While the event was a private party and not a university-sponsored activity, obviously many Kent State students were involved. Today, university and community officials are exploring what happened and making plans to prevent an occurrence like this from happening in the future. We are grateful that no one was seriously injured during the incident. And while the events are disappointing, they only strengthen our efforts to work hand-in-hand with the city to aid in the growth of the greater Kent community as we strive to be responsible neighbors. We have enjoyed an outstanding level of town-gown cooperation in recent years, and our successful work will continue. The actions of those involved should not taint the wonderful work being done daily by diligent and committed Kent State students, faculty and staff. Unfortunately, lost is the news of the great accomplishments this weekend by our students. One example is the student-sponsored Relay for Life event that again raised thousands of dollars to help fight the scourge of cancer. Let's all learn what we can from these events and work to move forward together as a community. President Lester Lefton
There, now that makes everything all better doesn't it? Oh, and we also got yelled at in our weekly email from him, and we got a "safety email" today on "being safe" this weekend. Haha
Down in Nicaragua, there's probably a similar stack of letters with mine to Julenia buried inside. People tirelessly translate these from English to whatever language they need to be. Then when the children write their letters back, they translate those into English and forward them onto the children's sponsors. Isn't it amazing?
Next, let's see... Oh yes, the swine flu. It was just a joke but now it's a reality. As of this morning, there have been cases of Influenza A H1N1, a respiratory flu found in pigs that is now viable in humans, as seen in Arizona, California, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York City, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. So why do we care? Well I care because I have a myriad of chronic illnesses that make me susceptible to things like this. And many of my readers share my struggle and are in the at-risk population as well. 51 cases alone have presented in New York City. Why? How many people travel in and out of that city each day? Exactly. Then they travel to their home states and bring it to people there. Then those people go on vacation or go out to eat or go wherever and send the nice little swine flu to some others. So please people, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze. Then throw the tissue away or wash your hands for goodness' sakes. Gross. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Don't bite those fingernails and spare the pretty mascara by resisting to rub those eyes. No picking your nose either. Gross again. Because the person with swine flu sneezes on their hand, shakes yours, and then you yawn and touch your mouth. See how easy this is? But now if you have a cold, no need to worry either. To have H1N1, you'll likely have a temp over 100* as well as a cough or sore throat. You'll also have done one of the following: been in contact with someone with swine flu or someone who was in contact with someone having swine flu, traveled to an area affected by swine flu in the 7 days preceding symptom onset, been in contact (within 6 feet) with someone who traveled to an area affected by swine flu, or are hospitalized with influenza or pneumonia. So just be careful out there, chronic chicks. If you think you're coming down with it, call your doctor immediately. Oh, and obey the Feds and don't go to Mexico! But above all, don't be too stressed over it. Just use common sense. My dad spoke with family friend and world-renowned physician Dr. Alan Chow (who is a MD, PhD, OD and is cofounder of Optobionics, a company pioneering an implanted chip that make blind people see... not even kidding) and he confirmed what I had been suspecting... H1N1 is not a bad flu - it's just the flu, people. You'll be better in a couple of days. The only deaths have come from Mexicans and other people who likely cannot or did not access proper, current medical care in a timely manner. Immunocompromised people, be extremely careful just as if you were around any other bug. Get to the doctor if you show symptoms, and you should be all right. Healthy individuals? Same for you. Either way, utilize the health-smart tips above just like you would for any other bug. It's going to be just fine.
Wednesday beganBaby Time at the local library. I enrolled Baby Itty Bitty and invited our friends Russ and Sam to do the same with their Madison. So Wednesday morning for an hour, I sang goofy little songs, clapped and did motions, and held Baby Itty Bitty as she listened to the stories. (Okay, stared at other babies, etc. while the lady read the stories...) Until she decided not sleeping during morning naptime was a bad idea afterall and began to squirm and fuss. (Don't worry, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" cured the issue...) Meanwhile, Maddie spent the morning stealing the show and determinedly eating her pacifier and drooling all over the place. The next several Wednesday mornings should be fun for sure. Next week, we get a new room and will add toys, more interaction, and a "water table" to our stories and songs. Yay! :)
My parents just got back from Chicago and I'm jealous. But I shouldn't be because I'm leaving for Disney World on Tuesday! Although I'm stressed because there's so much to do and not enough time!
Craigslist and Freecycle ROCK. And thrift and consignment stores, too. Just saying. For the past few months, I've collected a desk, books, clothes, fabric, toys, Easter and Christmas decorations, crafts, a dollhouse, a TV/VCR combo, things to redecorate, Ikea bookcase doors, and so much more.. all for FREE! I've given away toys, clothes, a vacuum, baby stuff, etc., and I've gotten absolute steals on lots of baby gear (swings, DVDs, a BundleMe, a Bumbo and tray...) an Ikea bookcase, Cavs tickets, books, clothes, and I could go on forever. I've sold a chair, baby items, craft items, and even my printer combo. I have tons of pending sales, too, including my parents' old pool pump. Crazy or what? Maybe... but definitely fun!!
Still reading My Sister's Keeperand re-reading A Grief Observed. 2 amazing books. I absolutely cannot wait for My Sister's Keeper's movie to come out this June! (Even if it has a different ending...) I started the book a long time ago and didn't get a chance to finish it, so this is the perfect excuse to pick it up again. You should read it too - this book will move you and shake you to the core. I don't really think I'm biased just because I'm sick and I have a sister and I've lived glimpses of this family's lives. I think it would be unimaginable and hard for anyone, not just someone partially living the life. Can you imagine being created to be a genetic match for a cancer-ridden sister... so your cells and organs and tissues could in many ways cure her most of the times she got sick? Going to the hospital each time she had to? In the book/movie, the girl essentially decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body... all while she loves her sister. Wrap your head around that one. And of course Jodi Picoult is a master author. So just read it. And check out the trailer:
Oh and I must give a shoutout to my nerdy fiance. Jonathan found this funny video by College Humor called Twitter in Real Life. If you're into Twitter, you'll totally get this... it made me "lol" :)
Speaking of Twitter... you so should be following me....
K, so Grey's Anatomy last night??? Episode 99 was one of the best in a long time! And I'm so, so excited for Episode 100 - if you want a spoiler, click here. Shonda Rimes confirmed that Denny will definitely be in the episode, and she also added, "Just a reminder: He's not a ghost, and we should all remember what his appearance means." Interpret that one how you will... either Izzie's mets are back making her nuts, or well... he's come to take her... they will finally be together. But back to last night. Krista Vernoff came back to write and the scenes with Izzie and her mom, Meredith and little Maddy, Meredith and Richard... well, there were lots of amazing scenes. Even though lately Grey's has deviated from episodes with obviously resonating themes, throughout this episode, a few ideas were repeatedly apparent: acceptance, forgiveness, and making amends. I loved how Meredith risked her job to tell Maddy's mom, "You have to change her story while you still have a chance... for her, but for your little girl, you have to change her story." The whole idea of a little girl shooting her dad 17 times to save her mom from her dad, now that's controversial. For standing up for a 6 year old murderer, now that's Meredith Grey. I love how Meredith is all "dark and twisty," you never know where she's going next or how she's going to react. She's not afraid to surprise people, and she's not afraid to run or hide when it's the best thing she can do. I can relate to Meredith. But anyways, change their stories... Hindsight is 20/20 but I know my story could have been changed, and maybe yours could have been, too. Instead of letting that realization hurt (I'd never in my life thought of it that way), embrace the realization that all adults change the stories of each and every child they ever get to know, and you have the power to give a child a happier ending, a brighter beginning.
Oh and any Private Practicewatchers reading? How about that season finale?! I knew it from the time I saw that psychotic woman appear back on the episode... Chills!
Click through to find out more and to take a peek inside. {Mediations on Hope in the Kaplan Voices: Nurses series}
I am so humbled and honored that my story was chosen to be a part of this beautiful collection of stories, all written by nurses, about the beauty of hope.
One of my dreams (ever since I can remember) has been to write a book, so this is just one step on the path. I have had 3-4 dozen pieces of my scrapbooking art published in various books and magazines before, but that is nothing compared to this. I can't even put into words how it feels to know that my voice - as a young person, as a scarred but old soul, as a witness to this crazy miracle, and yes, as a NURSE - is being heard. Just a little nursing student with the soul of a fighter and a heart larger than life... I wrote a story about what I saw, what I experienced... what impacted my life and made an impression I will never forget. I simply observed the most miraculous hope and love as an innocent bystander. I stood still and watched such unbelievable virtue just exude from a very special patient and her husband. Life happened, the good part of life happened, and now the entire world can see, too, what I saw. All through my little voice that was chosen to be heard.
Walking into Barnes and Noble and seeing this book on the shelf and opening it to see my exact words, written from the deepest part of my soul.... I wish I could describe it but as I said, I still cannot find the right words.
But enough of that... ;-) Whether you're a nurse or not, I really recommend this book. (And no, not just because I wrote a few pages of it!) These stories will touch your soul immensely. And you who are nurses? It's stories like these that linger in our hearts and somehow enable us to love our jobs despite the long hours, staffing shortages, and abounding demands.
This book truly is about hope, and in this world today? We could all definitely use just a little bit more of that.
It's only a room with shelves and books, but it's far more magical than it looks It's a jet on which I soar to lands that exist no more.
Or a key with which I find answers to questions crowding my mind.
Building my habit of learning and growing, asking and researching till I reach knowing.
Here, I've been a mermaid and an elf I've even learned to be more myself.
I think that I shall never see a place that's been more useful to me.
With encouraging kind friends with wit Who tell me to dream big and never quit.
It's only a room with shelves and books, but it's far more magical than it looks.
I love to read, and I know it's mostly due to my mother who read to me religiously since well, probably my first days of life. I can remember going to our public library all the time with my mom and sister, and I'd look forward to Summer when we could join the reading contest. I think I was the only kid in my elementary school classes who loved Library Class, and I'm absolutely positive I won the award for being most fascinated with the Dewey Decimal System. I loved library field trips, and there was nothing more fun than signing my name in my best second-grade-cursive on the back of a shiny, new library card. I loved Story Time days, American Girl events, and I loved, loved, loved the new book section where I'd select just the perfect big-girl "chapter book." Chapter books... now that was big stuff.
Even now, my fascination with libraries has not subsided. What would I possibly do if I owned all of those books? Well in all actuality, they are just as good as mine - I have access to every one of them, and it would be a lie to say I couldn't learn anything I wanted because so many people have written so many books full of ideas, histories, teachings, and fairy tales.... and each one of them is at the library.
So rediscover your library this month. Go get a book and indulge yourself in it. Return it on time. Be nice to the librarians - they are lovely people and are all wealths of knowledge.
The library is yours, so don't you think it's about time you paid it a visit?
I am 22 & currently spend my days nannying my itty bitties + going to college (working on my nursing degree, goal: pediatric oncology) & am honored to be a published writer in a nursing anthology & a contributor to many scrapbooking publications. i love hanging with my amazing friends, sister & family. i love my baby puppy haylie brooke and our silly doggie ri-ri. in my rare spare time, i read & get crafty. i thrive on organization, my mac repertoire, learning & absolute fabulosity. my favorite place in the world is paris. my favorite color is pink. i love being a nurse & i believe each one of my patients is precious. i'm a night owl & wish my lifestyle promoted such habits. i like lazy jammie days. i believe in god and am thankful for his hand on my life. i believe that life is too short to be anything but happy, & i’m thankful that a chronic liver disease + the effects of a car accident have taught me important values that most people learn far too late. i hope that the world will find hope, and my idea of a good day is one in which i made someone smile :)
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Near and dear to my heart...
I am honored to be a part of this anthology on nursing and hope. Click to take a peek inside. :)
Disclaimer
Perspective, Disclosure, Reliability, Courtesy
I take my professional nursing standards very seriously. Please scroll to the bottom of the page to read about the promises I make to you regarding my site and any medical information found within.
Ahh, karma. Sometimes you love it, sometimes you hate it. Tuesday, I loved it.
