On being a Nurse

For Prompts and Reviews

Courage born from necessity.
Strength born from caring.
Experience born from being present.

In my life nothing other than motherhood
has challenged me more
than becoming a nurse.

Becoming a nurse takes much longer
than the years spent in a grueling
program at school jumping through
the administrative hoops.

If it were not for the experiences
I have lived through
and other people's experiences
I have lived with them,
I would not know my own
inner strength.
I would not know that I
could be courageous.

For in seeing the depths of despair
and the heights of joy
in people at their most extremes
have I been able to find my place
in this world.
Have I found joy and courage,
pain and love.

Holding a dying woman's hand.
Cleaning infected wounds.
Bathing those too weak to help themselves.
Listening to the tortured minds of the distressed.

And within these experiences
learning that one MUST act.
And in order to act, one MUST
face fears of every order.

And in the face of fear
knowing what to do
the right thing that must be done
one finds the very courage to do it.

And not only have I found courage
within myself.  I have been humbly
able to provide the strength for
other to face their fears
and to act courageously as well.

Author's Note

Prompt: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Reviews

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

This was amazing read! Your poem gives the readers insight of what a nures feels and goes through and for that I applaude you! What an outstanding lady you are to help others the way you do!

[LA Lorena]

This is a most uplifting write Judy, and provides such insight into who and what you are. It is obvious to see that the biggest job satisfaction one can get is not delivered in an envelop on pay day, but from loving what they do, and doing it well to make such a difference in those that they touch daily.

[An owl on the moon]

What a lifting write... I know so little of what nurses must face each and every day... the long hours, conditions, sick folks with no understanding... Only go in the hospital when I break something.. lol... Thank you for all you've given, and shared through this write!

[Elephants & Coyotes]

A nurse.
How fabulously appropriate.
What a wonderful peek into who you are and how you got there.
=)

[...]

overwhelming!
i admire your profession immensely since the time that i can remember
yet these beautiful words remind me about your heroism each day
and the way you must be inspiring scores of people each day
only a truly remarkable human would take up this profession
and only a truly remarkable poet would be able to cherish it in words thus

[Bailey C. Writing]

Oh gosh, this was beautiful! I have a respect for nurses :) I think any nurse reading this will agree and be proud of your write, and make them even more proud of being a nurse. I don't know what else to say besides excellent job

[Chris]

This one began to show me about you... comes a time a poet needs leave the nest of comfort and givens... ya know?

[Jean Alexandria Randall]

This was beautiful. Nurses are definitely unsung heroes in my opinion. It is a very hard job. It does take a lot of compassion and understanding. This was truly a wonderful poem.

[Ravyne Hawke]

Excellent poem, Judy! It does indeed take a lot of courage and determination to be a nurse and live with life and death every day. Great job!

[Ben Taylor]

This was wonderfully autobiographical--I really enjoyed the look into your life. Also, it fit the prompt perfectly. Nice xD I can't imagine being a nurse, I really admire the strength necessary for such a profession. :)