My April Gratitudes

As we enter into the first week of May, I have been reflecting on all that I am grateful for last month. My April definitely had some showers, including a lost wallet and a microbiology crash course. However, this was a month that refreshed my outlook on life.

The Return of My Lost Wallet

I lost my wallet at the gas station one day after work at the beginning of the month. My gas light came on when I was driving from work to my friend’s house for a girl’s night, so I decided to make a pit stop to fill up the tank. I mistakenly placed my wallet on the roof of the car and drove off without realizing. After searching the area three days in a row, I had given up all hope of ever finding it again. Then, almost two weeks later, two young women knocked on my door at 8:00 PM with my wallet in hand. They had found it on the side of the road and returned in to the address on my driver’s license. I may not have had too many important items in the wallet, but I was amazed by their kindness and selflessness. Each and every item was still in the wallet. These women are a reminder that there is still plenty of good left in this world. I find myself worn out from all the negativity on the news, but my perspective has been restored. Thank you to those two noble strangers!

New Job with Help Me Help You

After two years of volunteering with a non-profit organization in Long Beach, California called Help Me Help You, I was offered a paid position! Now I have the opportunity to do the rewarding work I love on a more regular basis. I have only been in this position for a few weeks, but I have already met some clients that have impacted my view on life. Despite their hardships, these clients have continued to forge forward day after day. Now, I get the pleasure of helping them get the little boost of support they need and deserve.

The unfortunate part of taking this new position was leaving my job at Panera Bread. I started working there one year ago to try out food service. I had never worked in the service industry before and new that I may not have time in the future to fit in a similar job. While my time there had some challenges (a lot more goes into making those delicious sandwiches and salads that you think), I am going to miss all of my former coworkers who kept me laughing through the sweaty lunch rushes and late night detail cleaning.

Little Sister’s Recital

I am the first to admit that I have no rhythm. Well actually I have zero musical ability whatsoever for that matter. My little sister, on the other hand, is a different story. That 10-year-old girl has moves! Watching her play the piano, rock a beat on the drum and sing her heart out was uplifting. The genuine smile on her face when she danced to the music reminded me how important it is to do what we enjoy in life. I may not be a good dancer, but I am not going to let that stop me from busting out my one-and-only move when the mood strikes me.

Easter Day Family [Failed] Hike

My family and I decided to go on a lovely (or what we thought was going to be a lovely) hike in LA this Easter. Unfortunately, it ended up being much more of an undertaking that we anticipated. We bit off way more than we could chew. As we slipped on gravel, got poked my thrones and scraped our knees, we made unforgettable memories. Nothing can beat family bonding, even when it involves limping away with quite a few bumps and bruises. To hear more, check out this blog post about our crazy adventure.

Completion of an Accelerated Microbiology Course

In April, I took a month-long, accelerated Saturday/Sunday microbiology course at Southern California University of Health Sciences. This course is a prerequisite for my PA school application. In order to meet the requirement while still working as a medical scribe at UCI and my new job at Help Me Help You, I had to make the sacrifice. Spending my entire weekend in class for a month straight may not have been my first choice, but I am grateful I had the opportunity to take the course while continuing to do the work I love.

During this course, I was able to meet men and women from all areas of the healthcare field. Some were similar to my age, while others had tons of experience and wisdom to share. In exchanging stories and receiving advice, my eyes were further opened up to the numerous possibilities in medicine. The experience also reminded me that life is not perfect. No ideal path exists; rather, life is full of unexpected ups-and-downs. I hope I can take this lesson to heart and enjoy where I am, instead of worrying about where I think I should be.

Here is to hoping that May is just as beautiful as April. How was your month? Share your adventures below.

Until next time,

P&P ❤