I'm a Doctor Now!

After 4 long and hard years my degree has been conferred. That means you can now call me Doctor.

First, where has time gone? 

Second, I'm so emotional I can hardly stand it. 

Today has been chaotic, you know with it being Mother's Day, Graduation Day, AND Evander's birthday! I am really struggling to write this post, but I want to be sure to write it because I want to capture this very moment. I can't pick a starting point, my mind has been racing all week. I've been having trouble sleeping for the last 2 weeks. Only today during graduation did my mind stop racing for one single question: Now What? What's next for Charity? For that moment my mind was blank. I have been longing for a blank mind for over 2 weeks.Then finally I have a blank mind and I felt stunned. Shocked. As if in that moment I was in a dream- Surreal. I dreaded going to graduation, I didn't want to sit for hours, in the hot sun, dressed in all black, practically on top of the person beside me. But none of that happened. However, it was a bit hot. But today, if never before in my life, today- I took pride in myself. 

In my regalia.

In my school.

 My profession.

 My culture.

 I took pride in every:

 heartache,

heartbreak, 

set back, 

no, 

rejection, 

detour, 

and failure.

Every mistake, 

each uncertainty.

All of the hurt I've ever experienced in my life allowed me to earn this doctorate. Those things molded me into the person I have become.Sometimes, we gravely underestimate God's destiny for our lives. We become scared and uncertain, doubtful, and even unenthusiastic. But, there is no error in God. In short, to sum up graduation- it was perfect.

Evander's Birthday

As I mentioned earlier, Evander had to share his Birthday glory with my graduation. He completely catered to my every need, as he does most days. I wanted to do something very special for him. But being that we are going on vacation, money is limited. We went back and forth about what our post graduation plans would be. Both of us really wanted to go out to eat, but the massive crowds are not our style. And as if you haven't figured out already, I am a big foodie and love trying out new places. So, we set out to find a restaurant that was accepting reservations and to our luck we found Freemason Abbey and it was absolutely delish. In short, to sum up Evander's birthday-it was perfect.

Mother's Day

4 years ago, I became a mother my greatest accomplishment to date. Yes, even above my doctorate. But today I was able to show my daughter what hard work and faith will allow you to accomplish. I hear that she brags to her classmates that "My mommy is a doctor" "My mommy is in the newspaper" So, I know that she is proud of me. I want to raise a woman, who is first proud of who she is and second proud of being a woman. To follow every single one of her dreams and never settle for a "No." So, mother's day for me today was extra special. I was with my Mother, her mother, my aunts, and my Nana. All strong, beautiful, bold- women. When I get discouraged about life, I look around and I know that, I can feel that I'm meant to be great. Don't EVER let someone tell you, that you can't be great. And don't not be great because someone is intimidated by your greatness. Just throw glitter, twirl, and smile. I said all this to really just say: In short, to sum up Mother's Day-it was perfect.

Perfect

Maybe we don't have too many perfect days or maybe everyday is perfect and we just don't acknowledge it. We focus so much on the rain, that we forget to appreciate the sunshine.I'm not sure. Really, who am I? Well, I'm glad you inquired. I'm the perfect person, for the perfect occasion, for which I have been perfectly assigned to be perfect for.- this all is now. So, again I ask, who am I? I'm a doctor now.

With love,

Doctor Mommy 

XOXO

Meeting Situations With Something Other than Anger

I like to consider myself to be a rather mild tempered individual. However, every once and a while I find myself in situations where I am easily angered. Working in the pharmacy,  for instance is the type of environment where hostility is quite common. For all of my pharmacy readers, we've all experienced this. A customer who is angry for a simple mistake, a longer than usual wait time, an outrageous co-pay, an insurance issue, or [my personal favorite] no apparent reason. This no apparent reason person is the most difficult of them all. You can over and beyond, farther and wider and yet they will still find a way not to be satisfied. They in fact choose to be angry. Be it a bad day or just a bad life, they are too lazy to over come the easy feeling of angry.

Sometimes anger is provoked and seems like a very necessary reaction, I've felt this way many times.You become a health professional to serve and help people, and you find someone jumping down your throat for doing just that, helping them. You feel insulted, threatened, and attacked. I think this feeling is one of thee worst aspects of retail pharmacy. During this past year of rotation, I've heard many pharmacist simply say they can't handle retail. I would like to think that I pride myself on being very versatile. In that, I can handle any environment. I may not like it, but I can certainly handle it. Working retail pharmacy has taught me a lot. Groomed me actually. Into a better person. Taught me that sometimes we need to meet uncomfortable situations and unruly people with something other than the anger we may so desparately feel they/it deserves. These situations present us with opportunities to exercise all that we aspire to be in this world.

I experienced a very devastating situations almost two years ago. The lowest point I've ever been in life actually. I was so broken. The only emotion I could muster was anger, because it was easy. I didn't have the energy to give the situation anything other than anger. The people around me who cared about me begged me to gain control of my emotions. My father has always been my sound reason. Whenever, I've been in a mind set to make a really irrational decision, my mother has always summoned my father to bring me back. And this situation was no different. His advice to me was to remain calm always, because when you're dancing with your emotions you're not at your best and you're not focused on what is at hand. This is absolutely, positively true. I have learned this the hard way.

Sometimes the situations and the people we feel most deserve the worst we have to give actually really need our best. They need our kind spirits, reassuring smiles, optimisim, problem-solving skills, our creativity, our balance, and most certainly our peace. I'm certain that many of us would be astonished by the number of people who live unpeacefully every single day of their lives. We all have our demons, and they're all different. My struggle may be different from yours but it's a struggle all the same. The best that we have was given to us to give to others. Meeting situations with something other than anger is not for the faint of heart. It's not easy or even always recognized or appreciated. But most often than not it's necessary. Misery loves company, but you don't have to be that company. You have a choice to decline the invitation, and counter offer with an invitation of your own. Not anger, not today!