Working in a level-one trauma hospital right after grad school has taught me so much—lessons I carry with me every single day and into my new job. One of the biggest realizations? I never take my health for granted. The ability to move, speak, eat, lift, and just live in a healthy body is something many of us overlook until it’s compromised. Seeing patients struggle with what used to come naturally to them is a constant reminder of how fragile our bodies can be.
I’m no stranger to death. In fact, most weekends, I’m the one handing families hospice lists, setting up services for their loved ones, or standing beside them as they say their final goodbyes. Death and I have come to a mutual understanding—it’s an inevitable part of life, something I’ve had to face head-on in this line of work.
There’s no guarantee in life, except that we’re all destined to die. Death is written for each of us, though when and how, we’ll never know. I might not wake up tomorrow, or I could live another 45 years—there’s no telling. But what I do know is that my time will come, just like everyone else’s. And that knowledge drives me to live fully, appreciate the moments I have, and never take this life for granted.