a dose of inspiration

it seems as though life has grabbed me, taken me away from the familiar, exposing me to new dimensions with little time to prepare.

nursing school coming to an end. doors to the job market, opening and closing. speeches, washington d.c. trip, interviews, public health project, research paper. the beginning of mama's chemotherapy and radiation treatment. wow, 2010, you are quite the year.

feeling pressured, anxious, and a bit overwhelmed, i have to admit that finding joy in the simple things has been complicated. difficult. just plain hard. what is so natural has been clouded by fleeting thoughts of confusion. but then came the bus ride...

so there i was, riding the bus home, contemplating all the uncertainties. thought after thought - a jigsaw puzzle with mismatched pieces. but then as i looked at the window, what do i see? a ladybug! there it was...joy. simplicity. love. lucky or not, this ladybug brought a smile to my face and a huge sigh of relief. things really are being taken care of.

when i thought i had reached a climax, i was wrong. as soon as i stepped off the bus, i heard music. a saxophone being played by an old man on the corner. harmony. tenderness. pure beauty. for the first time in a while, i felt like me again. daily, i'm being reminded that it is very possible to find inspiration in the midst of challenge.