I was always the happy child. Nothing lit me up more than making people smile. I come from a family of four children with three generations under one roof, so boredom did not exist in my vocabulary. Free time was spent outdoors. I was surrounded by trees and flowers admiring the healing aspects of nature, like how chamomile helps against burned mouth and fresh tea leaves stop bleeding.
School was difficult. I witnessed a clash of universes and egos, unwritten rules nobody warned me about, and too many frames to fit into. There was unhealthy competition and eternal comparison. Everything I knew about myself needed to be overwritten in order to become successful (whatever that means, I still do not know). So, I followed the universal path, neglecting my personality. I taught myself to excel in areas that rejoiced my teachers, parents, and peers. But unlike in early childhood, this time I was not laughing. The girl who was known for her bright nature started to lose her spark.
I went to study pharmacy to find out what it is in chamomile that reduces gingival inflammation. With the confidence that I possess all it takes to conquer illnesses, I started my career as a pharmacist. And soon learned another valuable lesson: no matter how much medical information I provide to my patients, it is often not what they need. The very thing that they need is somebody who listens. Listens with heart, mind, and soul.
At the pharmacy where I worked, a large number of patients came in for consultation. Some patients left the pharmacy without any purchase, but with a clear head and a content heart. One elderly woman said “the weekly visit to the pharmacy is an unprescribed therapy I long for.” There is only so much you can treat with a pill, and a whole world you can make better with an open heart. The spark in me lights up again when I see a burden falling off of somebody’s chest, may it be sickness, mental heaviness, or unhealthy thoughts.
My mission is to enable people to become happy and healthy, so that they can follow their purpose in life. Just like the beautiful trees and flowers in nature, everybody has the right to be their true selves, to shine, and to serve the world in their unique way. We have so much to offer. No one thinks their purpose is less valuable than someone else’s. That is the world I dream of.
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