Jelly Beans

Life is full of jelly beans. Each jelly bean has a different flavor, bitter, sweet, or tangy. The decision and choices we make are similar to the jelly beans we love so much. There was a time I was faced with questions that pushed me towards sour, tangy and sweet jelly Bean flavors. When I was in middle school I was asked what I wanted to be and I had no answer. We were told we had our whole lives to decide what/who we wanted to be. I had my whole life to enjoy the buttered popcorn jelly bean or even the cotton candy. When the question came again during my high school years, you would think by then I would’ve had the answer considering the amount of time I’d been given. I wondered how the answer to such a simple question was so difficult to come by? So I did what any reasonable person would do, I took personality tests – you know, the ones that tell you jobs that fit your personality.

I had many options – e.g. to become a lawyer or school guidance school. It was like life gave me a bag of nothing but licorice jelly beans. Boy were the options tempting…Not!! So I did what I should have done in the first place I searched within myself for what I truly love. I asked myself: “what makes you happy, how can I use the gifts that God has given me to help others? Do you see yourself doing it forever? What is your passion?”

From this exercise, I learned that I love medicine, and helping others. I began searching for the cotton candy, cherry and vanilla jelly bean! I began to Shadow professionals in the field of pharmacy and medicine (doctors, nurses, etc). That was the beginning of my journey. I didn’t know where this journey would lead at the time but I’m happy about where it’s taken me. I’ve found that the answer to even the simplest questions come from searching within, and understanding one’s purpose. Sometimes you dig through the entire bag of jelly beans but it’s the final flavor, the coffee that gives you the wake up call and sends your senses on a worthwhile journey.