“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
How many times did you hear those words as a child? If you are like me, the answer is many!
I have always been a dreamer. The answers to this question would change but I spent most of my childhood really wanting to be a toy room lady or a respiratory therapist at a children’s hospital.
I spent a lot of childhood as a patient at the Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. From the age of 2 until I was 12 years old my family spent a lot of time there including a Thanksgiving or two. The highlights of my stays (which could last up to around a month) revolved around 4 things: the toy room and toy room ladies who worked there, if I was lucky enough to get Dave, my favorite respiratory therapist, receiving mail, and the fun little gifts my aunt had wrapped for me in a basket that I could open pretty much at will (how awesome is that?!).
Not surprising to probably anyone, I spent the majority of my younger childhood wanting to grow up to be a toy room lady. I thought they had the greatest job ever, checking out Nintendo’s, books, board games, or if you were healthy enough, letting the children head into the toy room to engage in some fun play!
As I got older, I was the lucky recipient of care from a very awesome man named Dave, who was one of the respiratory therapists. Dave was my favorite health care provider I ever had. (He’s the only one that I remember his name besides my surgeon and my regular family doctor 21 years later).
Dave was cool. After he got my respiratory treatments started he would play Nintendo with me, he’d sneak me movies from Blockbuster to play (or Nintendo games the hospital didn’t have) and honestly cared about not only me, but he remembered I was a child and needed to have fun.
He also provided my buddy, Josh (who was also a frequent hospital visitor) and I with enough saline solution and huge syringes to put it in that we could have saline “water” fights in the hallway. (I think I usually won that game because poor Josh had Cystic Fibrosis and his wheezing would always get the best of him). Every once in awhile Dave would sneak us in some snacks, too. (Have you ever tried to live on hospital food for a month? It’s terrible!)
I didn’t grow up to be either a toy room lady or a respiratory therapist, although I did pursue becoming a respiratory therapist after getting my degree in Psychology but after checking into it, I realized logistics of attending school in Omaha wouldn’t work because of the distance and time away from my family.
However, I did take away something that both of these “dream” jobs provide to others and that is compassion and caring for others. A little caring, love, and compassion can make a difference in the world. These people who provided care for me might not remember me now, but they made a lasting impression on my heart for the rest of my life.
So what did you want to be when you grew up? If you don’t blog, leave me a comment below! I would love to know! 🙂
Welcome to the Focused Fridays One Thing (#ffOneThing) Linkup!
This is a monthly link up that will be featured here on the first Friday of every month! Unlike most link ups, #ffOneThing invites you to create a post focused on one thing you would like to share!
In February our theme was “Anything Goes”. Deb from Counting My Blessings shared her wonderful (and visual) post: How To Follow The Best Prayer Model and was my favorite post from last month!
I have seen the ACTS method several times throughout my life but to be honest, until I was probably in college I had no idea what “supplication” meant! I think that the P.R.A.Y. method Deb recommends is much easier to teach children and new Christians (or anyone else who doesn’t use the word “supplication” in their everyday vocabulary!) 🙂
Now it’s your turn! Please link up a post using this writing prompt:
What is one thing you wanted to be when you grew up?
I can’t wait to hear your answers! All of us hosts will be checking back here to read your answers.
For those of you who like to plan ahead, in April our theme will be:
One Defining Moment.
Look for the link-up here on Friday, April 3rd.
Benefits of Joining the #ffOneThing Link Up
1. Community! By visiting other blogs and leaving comments, you get a chance to connect with other bloggers. Maybe you’ll even make a new blogging friend!
2. We pin every post to the #ffOneThing Pinterest board! Follow Here to Read & Re-Pin!!
3. Get featured! Every month each host will choose a favorite to feature on their blog.
4. When you link up your post, it will appear on 3 blogs! Yes, I said 3 😉
Meet Your Hosts
Laura of Short and /Sweet Moments
Michelle of MichelleWestbrook.com
#ffOneThing Link Up Rules:
1. Please link up only one (1) family-friendly post in response to the theme.
2. Visit two (2) other posts that are linked up and leave a comment. This is how we build community and encourage others 🙂
3. Link back to this post by adding a text link or the button to the bottom of your #ffOneThing post.
Thank you so much!
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Jenny, What a lovely surprise. You completely made my day! Thank you for blessing me with your kind encouragement. Enjoy a blessing-filled weekend! HUGS!
My sister-in-law is a respiratory therapist & has worked in a children’s hospital. It’s great that you have such a lasting impression of your time with those who cared for you!