If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.
— Henry Ford-American Industrialist (1863-1947)
Sooner or later everything changes. Rabbits are down from three to one, as are ducks, and the four goldfish the size of your hand are now eight new goldfish the size of your thumb. I’ve never been fond of change, unless I caused the change, but there came a time while meditating I heard, “Do something every day to move yourself forward.” Moving forward instead of resisting change is good. Somehow it made me want to get up and do something positive. Moving forward as we slowly slip our way out of pandemic toward change is a good thing.
Moving forward reminded me of Margaret. Margaret was a Mennonite, probably approaching her forties, when she helped caretaking my mother. After my mother passed, Margaret had a calling in her heart. She knew it wouldn’t be easy. Margaret was a hard worker at home and beyond as she homeschooled her son, cleaned houses for others, and was busy in her church and community. First, she talked to her husband. “Jim, you know our son is finishing school and time will come that I won’t be able to clean houses like I do now so I was thinking I might go back to school.” Jim inquired, “What would you study?”
Margaret’s voice rose with excitement, “I’ve taken care of people my whole life-the ill and the aged. I’ve cleaned their houses. I think I could do this. I want to be a nurse.”
Jim considered Margaret’s desire, “I’m not against it Margaret, but there would be a lot of science and there’s the cost to consider.” Margaret explained she thought she could do it, and she was willing to study hard. She shared if God wanted her to be a nurse it would all work out. “Jim,” she said, “It’s the first thing in my whole life I’ve wanted for myself.”
Since Margaret had completed school up to the eighth grade, she would need to pass the GED. If she scored high enough on her entrance exams, she’d get a scholarship. Margaret scored high enough. Next, she had to meet with her doctor to get proof of various vaccinations and a medical exam. The doctor asked, “This is a school exam? Why are you going back to school at your age?” Margaret replied she wanted to be a nurse. The doctor said, “Well, good luck,” but Margaret knew luck would have nothing to do with it.
Margaret successfully completed the nursing program with honors and more scholarships, and two years after receiving her GED, she received another diploma with her name embossed in gold. This one certified Margaret was a licensed practical nurse. Afterwards she received job offer after job offer until the day she received an offer from the same medical clinic with the same doctor who had conducted the school exam. It was the first thing she’d ever wanted for herself, and she did it. Margaret moved herself forward and everything changed.
Author’s note: Margaret’s story was published in Cup of Comfort for Nurses (2006).
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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