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Today I’d like to be a bit more candid with you than normal. I hope you’ll indulge me!
Recently I was at my yearly “appointment.”
I was seeing a new doctor because mine was no longer in that office, so naturally, I was more uncomfortable. If that’s even possible.
It’s so frustrating to have to repeat all the things, but I did. The nurse asked me to step on the scale as if it were optional. Almost the highlight of the visit–almost. Then I was led to a tiny room and told to undress. I was gifted the lovely blue paper gown-jacket and a white “sheet.” I wait for her to step out so that I can undress and don the lovely blue gown-jacket and stash my undies and bra under my neatly folded clothes because somehow that makes me feel better about the whole thing.
The plus is that my back is to the door as I hop onto the exam table. But yikes, as I step up, the lovely jacket-gown rips. Right down the butt. Yay. I’m thinking: Now what? She’s gonna see my butt as soon as she walks in the door. Of course, what does that matter? She’s about to see a lot more than that. So I slide the cover sheet around enough to cover the ripped portion of my gown for good measure and my own self-confidence.
As I sit and wait and look around the room at all the posters about women’s health and cute pictures to make the room more homey, I wonder why in the world I didn’t just cancel the stupid appointment. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does that!
Pretty quickly, the new doctor comes in (new to me, not new to the practice) shakes my hand and introduces herself. She’s cool enough. We had a nice little chat, and she made me feel a little less nervous with her down to earth ways. And then the exam ensues. She continues to chat. Thanks be to the Lord for that. Silence would be so much more awful.
Half the exam down–now down to the next half. More yay! As she tells me to lay back and put my feet in the lovely feet rests (you’re welcome for me not saying stirrups), I say, “I don’t know how you do this all day.” I was totally respectful, but really, I wanted to know. Why would someone want to do that?
Here’s what she said: “I could say the same thing to you about homeschooling because I can’t imagine doing what you do. I suppose we all have things about what we do that we don’t exactly enjoy.” She went on to explain that she loves the babies and women’s health and surgery, that the exams are just part of it.
Don’t Let a Little Bit of Ugly Stop You from Doing What You Love
You know what? She’s right. There’s always going to be something that’s hard or not enjoyable or even downright repulsive about our chosen walk of life, whether that be stay at home mom or gynecologist. I take comfort that no matter what, it’s never perfect or grand.
Here’s what I came away with: don’t let a little bit of ugly stop you from doing what you love. I think many times we are scared away because of one unpleasant facet or another. We have to grind through the hard, ugly parts of our jobs and lives, but we don’t have to dwell there. Skipping them isn’t optional unless we keep our lives bubble wrapped, and even then…. But choosing to dwell on them, to despise them, to base our happiness on them? No, we don’t have to do that. We can choose our perspective and move on.
We can embrace the wonderful and try not to hate the ugly, but understand that the ugly is part of the beautiful no matter what we choose in life.
>>Related Post: Original heartwarming Quotes About Being a Mom by Brandi @ Chicken Scratch Diaries
Whether you are a doctor or a stay at home mom, your job is important; it is beautiful, and it’s hard. But don’t the little bit of ugly keep you from doing what you love!