“Sorry,” he said with a smile. “I have no teeth.”
I never will forget this man’s response as I offered him an apple. I was only eight-years-old when I volunteered to serve dinner for St. Vincent de Paul in Milwaukee. My job was to ask everyone who passed me in the serving line, “Would you like an apple with your meal?” Almost everyone answered yes, as they were grateful to have something to eat. But not this man. He was wearing a dirty, beige, knee length jacket. He was old. His face was filthy. And he had no front teeth.
Each person at the shelter had nothing. No food. No home. No money. Nothing. And the only thing I could do to help was offer an apple.
Being a nurse has been my dream job since I was eight-years-old. To be a nurse, I have to be able to put myself in someone else’s shoes, and this comes naturally to me.
After this experience, I couldn’t feel sorry for myself. Seeing the way people lived, struggling to feed themselves and their families, I realized how well off I am.
For the past nine years, I have been actively volunteering. I continue to gain knowledge of new skills. I'm a certified nursing assistant, I’m the president of Best Buddies, and I volunteer at the Hospital. I am hopeful that these experiences will give me a good start for my career in nursing.