One morning this week, I was having a very challenging nurse day. I started questioning exactly why I had decided on nursing school. The thought of being a door greeter at Wal-Mart was becoming more and more appealing. (And I certainly would try to find a way to bring back those happy face stickers!) I decided to blare some K-LOVE and muddle through getting ready.
I walked to my jewelry chest looking for some earrings to brighten my day a bit, when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. My butterfly bracelet was hanging on the cherry rack urging me to pick it up. This isn’t just any old bracelet. It’s the bracelet that represents the short life of one of the teens that was in mine and Caleb’s youth group.
The first time I picked up the bracelet was when Caleb and I visited Maine in October. We had just come back from Cadillac Mountain and all its beauty, and decided to purchase some gifts to bring back with us. We had stopped at an end of season sale, when I saw a rack of beautiful butterfly bracelets. I love butterflies, and thought what a great gift these might make for our teen girls. Caleb helped me count out upwards of 30 of these bracelets and off we went on our way.
It is amazing how God places small things in our lives ready to encourage us in another season. One month later, in the midst of a challenging season, one of those teens passed away in an unexpected car accident. Little did I know, butterflies were one of her favorite things.
Hannah was such a strong teen. She was one of the teens who was willing to help in whatever way was needed. She had a work ethic years beyond herself. I will never forget how she volunteered at a lunch we had for fundraising. She was one of the last ones to leave after making sure everything was cleaned and put back into place. An hour later as my husband and I went through the McDonald’s drive through for a snack, she was the one giving us our food through the window. Hannah never let us know she would also be working after the fundraiser—she just jumped in and made sure things got done.
Hannah was planning to use this work ethic to be a nurse. She was caring and kind, the type of person this profession needs. As I saw this bracelet on a day I didn’t want to be a nurse, I felt incredibly overwhelmed by the opportunity I have. I have the opportunity to be a nurse and have the attitude and spirit that Hannah would have. I picked up the bracelet and put it on, knowing that each day I have a choice for what attitude I choose to use.
We have the opportunity each day to approach life fully, with a good attitude. We are not promised tomorrow, but we are given the chance to make our lives count, no matter how short. We have the chance each day to choose to live happy.
