My Mom saved a bunch of “stuff” from years gone by (sniff) and I came across this. I was moved to snuffles. Thank you Mom for valuing my life.

I remember it so poignantly, working on these words with my brother Cam, and laughing a lot. Then before I knew it, there was the after graduation party, standing at the mike and those many faces. I blubbered mostly. Mortifying. But I do remember who I saw.

You! You! You! It’s all about you! We’ve done this together, and it’s God in you people that got me through. Thank you.

Medical School was hard for me. All that book work was as exciting to me as my acne, one of those things you hope just sort of goes away. I found that whenever I had some book in front of me, I suddenly became the best conversationalist. In fact, I learned to start taking them on dates. I started having a lot more success… with dating.

But still, all those years of book work were a form of security. There’s security in book work.  When third and fourth year came round, I got a little nervous. You know. You’ve got to perform.  By now I’ve learned if flirting doesn’t work, hey! I can always cry! I can do that because I’m a girl. Being a woman in medicine is neat like that. The only problem I really ran into with being a woman in medicine, is that guys are soooo competitive!!! Aren’t they!!! In med school especially. But you know what I like? I like to just CRUSH THEM!!! No I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t crush anyone …irreparably.

Growing up with Dad being a doctor was inspirational. From him, I thought what you mainly learned in medical school was that if it hurt, all you needed to do was put ice on it. Now I know you have to use tape too.

But on bad days, it was Jesus and Jesus in you that got me through.  You my friends who sent notes, you my family, brothers, Mom and Dad, who know me so well and survived my selfish demanding life, who kept me laughing and smiling and inspired, you all, you who prayed.

And I know this is just the beginning of a lot more practice of depending on God and God only for power. So here we go, together. You and me and Jesus. Thank you. You you you. It’s really all about you.

And 18 years later, even without the security of book work, the distance between me and medical school could still not get far enough! Thank you for trolling down that lane with me. May you all celebrate your history. Happy Memorial Day!

Keep on!