I Believe In Marching to the Beat of
My Own Drummer
I believe in
marching to the beat of my own drummer. This includes but is not limited to:
• doing what I
believe is right even if it isn't popular.
• standing up
for the little guy
• using my God
given skills to help others
• believing in
things with every fiber of my being
• never being
embarrassed
• never being
shy
• running
headfirst into situations that others run from
• jumping off
the cliff and dealing with the consequences
• always
dealing with the consequences of my own actions and not blaming others
• equality for
everyone
• accepting
people for who they are as long as it doesn't hurt themselves or others
• I always end
up on my feet even if I fall flat on my face and have to climb back up again
• being willing
to die for the people I love and the things I believe in
I am an
individual. What does that mean to me? Some might say I am a rebel. OK in
reality some HAVE said I am a rebel. I don’t consider myself to be a rebel
though. To me a rebel is someone who does things solely for the purpose of
being rebellious, to gain attention. Which I think is also most peoples
definition of an individual as well. Most think of an individual as someone who
dresses differently. I once heard someone say that individuality is the new
conformity. To me being an individual means following my personal code of
ethics and honor. Whether or not it is popular or in some cases legal.
My personal code of honor and ethics states that
I do what I believe is right regardless of the consequences. I also believe in always
dealing with the consequences of my decisions and actions personally. I will
not put that at anyone else’s feet. A doctor I used to work for always said if
I was ever going to get into trouble as a nurse it would be from being a
patient advocate. In other words standing up for the little guy.
I can’t
stand bullies. I could give you multiple examples of standing up against
bullies for other people. I think the most classic and dramatic instance
happened when I was eleven. My disabled nine year old brother was being beaten
up by three thirteen year old boys. I threw myself into the fray to protect my
brother. Yes I walked away without a scratch while they were hurting but that’s
not the point. I didn’t know going in to that fight that I would be okay. All I
knew was that my brother was in trouble and I have no problem dying for the
people that I love.
That stringent code involves equality
for all people. Right now I stand for marriage equality. Fifty years ago I
would have fought to stop segregation and Jim Crow laws. A hundred years ago I
would have been a suffragette. 250 years ago I would have fought for the
freedom of our country. I accept people for who they are. That is what our
country was founded on. As long as you aren’t hurting yourself or others we are
cool.
I was born to be a nurse. I am not a
nurse because it is a job or a means to earn a paycheck. I am a nurse because
it is who I am. I am a nurse twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. My
friends always laugh about coming to me with their “Am I and/or my kid dying”
questions. That’s even what they call them now.
I don’t
believe in being shy or embarrassed. I think it is a huge waste of time. I have
never met anyone that has ever gained anything by being a shrinking violet. I
suppose that goes along with running headfirst into situations that other
people run from. My friend said the other day that I dominate and others
hesitate. But, that is a double edged sword. More times than I can count I have
been in a situation where I have jumped off the cliff and dealt with the
consequences. I have been knocked down flat on my face. Bruised, battered, and
broken metaphorically and literally. There
is not one situation that has or will keep me down. I am a fighter. A survivor.
When I
follow this list of personal beliefs I can go to bed every night with a smile
on my face. After all “Well behaved
women seldom make history.”
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