Connections

Connections

Pieces by Anna Rezes

Some days I think I hate people, but that’s not true at all. I love people. I hate some of their behaviors, but everyone has a backstory.

I became a nurse because I wanted to make a difference in the world. That might sound cliché, but it’s the truth. There is so much wrong in the world, and I want to be able to brighten at least one person’s day. Each nursing job I’ve had has been entirely different than the last, but each has taught me about life and humanity. Making a difference in the world is challenging, and I often bring work home with me, worrying about the infant who is struggling to breathe, or the teen who is starving herself to fit in, or the elderly man who fell and may not recover. I take care of them during the day, and I cry for them at night. I know I care too much for my own good, but I don’t want to become callous. Watching someone suffer should feel uncomfortable.

Nursing has its upsides too, like getting a hug from a thriving kindergartener when they started life as a struggling preemie. I have been able to speak truth into the lives of women who were struggling with their bodies. I’ve been there to hug and comfort a daughter as she watched her mother breathe her last breath.

I often see people at their most vulnerable, and it’s a privilege, but at times can be very troubling. I’ve listened to nasty comments while trying to care for someone. I’ve been screamed at, spit at, hit, kicked, and grabbed. Some of these reactions are out of fear, some are because of pain, but most are because the person can no longer tell what reality is, which would be terrifying.

Life can be incredibly cruel and unfair, but it can also be so unbelievably beautiful. As a nurse, I’ve been allowed the opportunity to see both extremes up-close. I’ve seen under the artificial skin that people show the world and witnessed private moments between loved ones. Those connections are precious.

People form bonds, and those relationships are what life is all about. I love writing, but the story isn’t my favorite part, my real fascination are the characters and their connections.