Struggling is the Sign

Whew! Time has flown by and I apologize for not blogging sooner...I guess my excuse is that I was enjoying the not-so-warm weather in Chicago. So, my husband and I were having an interesting debate the other day and i'll share it with you. The topic was passion (no, not that kind) and if everyone 'gets' to have a passion in the 'life purpose-fulfilling-career-sense'. The way I see it, some people don't have a passion and don't really care either way. They are perfectly happy. Some people however, feel the tug of something and are not fulfilled until they satisfy that need. They struggle to find their passion and live out their life's purpose. Those who don't have a passion, don't struggle. Herein lies our debate. My parents and my husband's parents, like many of their generation, did not go to college and view raising a family and bringing home a paycheck a worthy enough undertaking. This in itself could be viewed as a struggle. But, did they struggle with that cosmic pull of finding something...more? I would argue that most of us who entered the field of medicine did so in response to a calling. I would also argue that we chose pediatrics in response to this calling. We had a gift in doing what we loved. In essence, we made a selfish choice so that we could perform selflessly.

My good friend's husband just graduated from medical school and is preparing to begin residency later this month. As a young physician I am not so far removed from that heady experience that I can't distinctly feel the nervous excitement and incredible honor at finally being a doctor. I remember the sense that the opportunities were endless. But, I must admit that too infrequently do I nurture those sentiments and cultivate that sense of pride and optimism in my day to day life. After finishing medical school and residency, how many of you landed in a place where the struggle ended? How many of us are still looking for our true passion?