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19 January 2010

It's the Journey and the Destination...


So, today it's official... I signed my contract, and in a couple of weeks we're going to take a second trip to Humboldt County to begin looking at housing.  Earlier this week, I got an email from a friend coordinating our 25th high school reunion.  How far I've come.


My plan when I graduated from high school:  graduate with a degree in civil engineering, meet my future husband, start a career, have three kids (2 boys and a girl), and build the cities of the future.


Five years later when I graduated from college with a degree in Photojournalism my plan was:  get a job as a reporter, try to get a job as a foreign journalist, meet someone and think about marriage later when I've gotten the wanderlust out of my system.


About five years later when I turned 30, I thought I could probably safely die and feel as though I had led a rich life.  I had been traveling across country to train in Washington D.C. for a demographic researcher position in Mexico City.  I lived in Mexico City for a year and met an amazing group of people.  I had traveled to Europe and Australia, and I had seen parts of the country that I never thought I would.  And, despite some dire odds against me, I actually got accepted to medical school.  Marriage and family was a distant memory... I had things to do.


I don't know that I had much of a plan going to medical school other than to actually graduate. I originally went in with the intention of doing emergency medicine, however when I did my fourth year elective I hated it.  How could anyone possibly want to work with people who did not take care of themselves?  Why did all the cool traumas go to surgery?  Was it too late to change my mind?


I found out it wasn't which is how I ended up doing three years of surgery.  Over that time, though, I found I missed the patient contact.  I missed teaching my patients.  After taking a year off, I went back to emergency medicine.  I got married.  I have three children of the furry kind;  a boy and two girls.  And, now, I have just taken the next step.  We're actually going to be "settling down."  Wow.


It definitely wasn't the destination, but the journey that has brought me to this point.  I can stop and think about several points in my life where a decision I made definitely changed the course of my life.  They're the "what ifs" that everyone has faced from time to time.  I'll ponder them in another post.... might even base a story on them.  But for now, I will relish in the fact that I'm just about to reach my next destination... I don't think it's the final one.  Ask me again in five years...

6 comments:

betty said...

how exciting Veronica!! you have definitely led a very interesting diverse life. settling down for a few years might be nice for a change :)

betty

Claudia said...

What state is that??? My daughter will graduate from Nursing School in June.....off my payroll...cheers.

She has a degree in Music and plays a viola, she is currently on hiatus from the Johnstown (PA) Symphony. Her goal it to go to Anesthesia School and become a Nurse Practitioner. She told me she thought she could do med school and I said finish the one you are in. LOL

CONGRATULATIONS.

Julie said...

Life is a journey and yours has been very interesting. It will be interesting to see what comes next. Have you seen Food Inc? I may switch to raw food also, home grown, after watching that.

MariesImages said...

Enjoyed reading your planned life, that went from Plan A to Plan B,C & D...;) Thats life! Ü
Congrats on your new adventure!

Jeanie said...

I admire your grasp at life and the choices that have come your way. It certainly seems as though you are fulfiling all that life has to offer you.
I am so amazed at your achievements..and stand in awe of them.
Well done YOU!
Have a good life in this next stage of it. I'm sure you will too.
Love
Jeanie xx

Lisa said...

You have led such an exciting life compared to me (and most people I know). I would be proud of what you have seen & done to date. You have alot of courage - that trait will take you far in life.