The Nurse Who loves to Write 09/23/08

The Nurse who loves Sauté

By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

Do you really want to be a nurse? The strict yet doting college instructor lowered her glasses as if wanting to get a clearer view of my seatmate. She asked the question again. Do you really want to be a nurse? 8 seconds, I counted the time it took until my now anxious seatmate furnished our instructor with a smiling yet trembling yes. The answer wasn't automatic, it wasn't straightforward; it seemed my seatmate had her doubts. She told me a while back, that she was dragged into taking up a course deviant to her interest. She dreamed of being a chef someday, mastering the arts of sauté, dressing chickens and upside down cakes. It was like the smell of burning caramel when her parents brought her out of the kitchen paradise, and compelled her to spend the rest of her days with the noble cap on top and a promising future of a greener pasture. My seatmate is one of the several millions who remain bitter about not being able to pursue a college degree they personally would like. The path for them has already been paved and nothing else is left but to follow that road obediently.

I have to admit, when I'm forced unto doing something I don't like, either I would constantly ignore the nagging or purposely let it fall into a sad and chaotic mess while I enjoy remaining naïve. Aside from overreacting on a bean sized pimple right on top of her nose, this is one of the many impulsively passive features of a confused youth. I see a lot of nursing students who wanted to be culinary artists, a multitude of engineering students who dreamed to be English majors, a crowd of political science students who yearned to be accountants. But because poverty dwells on every nook and corner, because unmet dreams haunts some dissatisfied parents, because she's still not old enough to make the decision, those nursing, engineering and political science students remain as is. Being dragged into a situation deviant to one's personal beliefs and interest would be tormenting and everyday would be but a subtle torture. A true blue classical music lover will be placed in a dormitory with gothic rockers who listen to nothing more than punk music at an amplified volume as roommates. Disturbing. How much more being pushed into a college degree diverse to what you really wanted to have as a career? Upsetting.

But at the end of the string, parents, and those who forced the guts out of us, want nothing more than our benefit and maybe a little extra for them alongside if our paycheck has gotten a raise. A daughter spent four years to graduate as a teacher all because her mother didn't get to become one in her youth. Although it may appear that some parents are determined to realize their unfulfilled dreams in their children, it doesn't end as selfish at it appears. The mother knew she could have a better life and a much honored status in society if she pursued being a teacher; she wanted her daughter to enjoy these fruits yet to be ripened. She wanted more the good of her daughter, and less of gratifying those unrealized dreams. Whatever the case, a mother, a parent, someone who cares would always want the best for the person they love even if it would be difficult at first, but they know everything will pay off in the end.

Science would tell us that a diamond is simply a pure black coal made good under pressure. Those who were forced, lured and dragged appear and as if they are black coal, but their parents who seem to be the pressure don't want anything else but for them to be sparkling and shining diamonds. The only problem is both don't fully understand, both haven't understood the concern of each other. I personally didn't have Nursing to be my first choice; it remained top two on my list. I wanted to pursue a course on writing as it is my passion. My parents opt for Nursing, but didn't force me per se. We laid down some time to talk and listened to each of our points, in the end I was the one who made the decision and stuck to the belief that I can always write any moment of the day even if I am already a nurse on duty. A nursing student who dreams of becoming a chef someday and her parents who wanted her to live a stable and secure life. I don't have much solution to settle their differences. Just communicate, take sometime to talk, this really helps.

And it was my turn; the strict yet doting college instructor shifted towards me and asked me the same question. Do you really want to be a nurse?

1 second later.

Yes, Ma'am.