Soliloquy: Gratitude for the Blessings of the Past Year
Cliche as it may seem, when people ask me what I did for Christmas, I unashamedly say: “I slept and watched TV.” My line of work requires the use of many brain cells at a time. For that reason, sleep and the opportunity to be idle are blessings that are often overlooked. One of the movies that Mico and I watched was Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda. There, Master Oogway stated:
Quit, don’t quit… Noodles, don’t noodles… You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present!
Admittedly, I am what Master Oogway meant when he said: “you are too concerned about what was and what will be.” I tend to overthink and overanalyze things and situations. Because of that, I often find the negative side, rather than appreciate the joy of the moment. In a word, I need to work on appreciating the “present” or the gift of today!
Counting my blessings
Blessings come in so many forms. They could be material things, job opportunities, or something as simple as a great relationship with the people who matter the most. Actually, even losses and challenges can be blessings, too!
In retrospect, my 2023 may not have been as eventful as my 2022 was. Far from it, if I have to compare them side by side. However, it is always about perspective, right? My Tatay always said that even the fingers on your hands are not of the same length, so circumstances also differ from time to time.
Nevertheless, I will always be grateful for the gift of family, near and far. As always, I’ve never felt alone and abandoned, especially during my trying times. Thank you for the love and the concern that transcended time and space. Life was not perfect, it never is, and will never be. We had a lot of difficulties, but together we triumphed over them.
Professionally speaking…
Work is going well. All of my projects for the year have been completed on time. They were never seamless.
However, the retail pharmacy serves post-discharge patients. The clinical decision support functionality in the electronic health record compliments the clinicians’ workflows. We have assisted many providers in correcting their patients’ charts. The breastmilk scanner project went live in Wisconsin, wherein I was the clinical subject matter expert. These are but a few of the examples.
In the process, I have met so many like-minded people whom I had the joy of collaborating with. I consider learning from each one of them one of my greatest blessings as I continue to learn the ropes of healthcare informatics.
A lifelong learner
Speaking of learning, I also have had a very distinct chance to learn from some of the most distinguished nurse academicians of our time. I was able to reignite my passion, along with my fellow nurse-learners, for presenting the evolving dangers of adolescent vaping in Illinois.
And, although challenging at times, I have learned so much more about sepsis: to the point that it has become my personal and professional advocacy. Thank you to those who have appreciated its importance in today’s healthcare milieu. More gratitude goes to my work and other allied stakeholders who have expressed their willingness to support the proposed project. I am beyond grateful; also both honored and humbled.
Paying it forward
If I continue to learn from others, I am also able to pay it forward. During the past year, I was able to officially mentor a colleague. She is currently finishing her practicum to earn the degree of Master of Science in Nursing – Informatics. We also had to get through so many hoops for her to start her practicum sessions. She had to collaborate with others outside of her department to gather data and propose a project that would benefit her unit. She had to step out of her comfort zone to advocate for her patients and colleagues. Throughout these months, she has learned first-hand what informatics really is, and its indelible importance in healthcare.
Aside from my mentee, I also help out some of my friends who are in grad school. Oftentimes, I was just a listening ear, but hopefully, it made them feel encouraged and supported. I was very fortunate to have mentors in my old department before, as well as in the informatics realm, and I feel obliged to do the same.
Grad school is already hard enough. I can particularly identify with the difficulty of trying to figure out what is being taught because I am not a native English speaker. More than that, the delivery and the teaching styles are so different than what we were accustomed to back in the Philippines. For that reason, I really strive to continually learn and to inspire others to do the same.
Life-work balance
Maybe, I have not reiterated this enough…Although I have already been in my field for almost three years now, I haven’t expressed my gratitude for my hybrid working situation. Nope, I don’t need to clock in and out as my hours are flexible for the most part. I only have to drive to work a couple of days a week and work from home the other days. That basically reduced my stress level by at least 50%.
Sure, I still have to come on a weekend or at the wee hours of dawn during Go-Lives and Upgrades, but they are very few and far between. And yes, did I say I don’t have to work a regular weekend or a Holiday anymore? No need to keep tabs on whether I am working Christmas Eve this year or Christmas Day next year.
I work harder on some days, and easier on others. At the end of the day, I have a better handle on what my day is, depending on my priorities. Ah, yes, did I mention that to do this job, you need to be organized, able to critically think, and prioritize tasks?
Not everything was rosy-colored
Obviously, when we win at some aspects of life, there will always be challenges in others. Some of my proposals did not pan out as expected. Initially, I may have thought of them as the proverbial “holes in one,” but it seems like I may need to work on them a little bit harder.
Also, the past year made me see people’s characters as to who they really are. Sad to say, the adage:
Wolves in sheep’s clothing
do exist! And yes, even among those whom I have considered as some of the closest and dearest all throughout these years. Painful, yes, but we never grow if we don’t heal from that pain. The scab will always be there, but I refuse to scratch and dig that scab to make myself bleed further.
To those people, thank you for having been in my life. I have learned from all of you. Heck, I may even have loved you at one point in time, but I have moved on. I sincerely wish you find the blessings of peace and happiness you’ve always sought. Maybe it will be worth reflecting on Matthew 7: 1-3 for the new year:
1 “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.2For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.3Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
Actually, maybe, that will be my verse for the year, being mindful of others and not only of myself and my needs!
My hopes for the new year
We always set goals before the start of the new year. Traditionally, I have been raised in a culture wherein we consider January 1st as the opportunity to start anew. Maybe if I write my manifestations here for the new year, they will be granted by the universe.
Kidding aside, I wish for good health for us and for the people closest to my heart. They are the most important blessings I ever have. They are the very reason for my being, and wishing them to stay healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and even financially, is my most fervent prayer.
I also pray for peace. Not the Miss Universe kind of “world peace” lip service, but true and lasting peace. The world is already chaotic as it is. If we can make peace in our own little niche, that will be good enough to create ripple effects. Moreover, peace means mutual respect. It does not only favor a specific group or ideology.
I wish for more learning opportunities, for the chance to implement my proposed project, and for the powers that be to see its importance not only for a short time but for the long haul. Along these lines, I look forward to hobnobbing with learned people who are experts in their respective fields. We should never be content with where we’re currently at, and gaining knowledge from experts doesn’t come along every day. Thank You, Lord, for a few of them already lined up for the new year.
Just like everyone else, I also pray for the practicalities of life. Financial and material blessings are necessities we could never do without. We rely on Your Generosity, Lord, and we know that You will always provide for us.
On a very personal note, thank You for blessing me with Ranie and Mico. They are my twin pillars and I could not be who I am without them both. I also sincerely pray and wish that this upcoming year will be a banner year for Ranie. May God, in Your Fatherly Goodness, fulfill his heart’s desires. May You continue to bless his goals and aspirations in life.
More than that, we lift to You our life, our marriage, our families, our plans, our future… We completely surrender everything to You, Lord. May you continue to shower our 2024 with Your Providential Blessings as You see fit!
Thank You!