After many weeks with my green glow-in-the-dark cast on I returned to the hospital to have it removed. I didn’t understand why I was going back. After all, I thought the doctor had fixed my arm the best he could. It was stiffer and bulkier than my other arm without the cast, but it was still useable. I could still hold a cup, pick something up, and tie my shoes. In fact, there were many reasons I wanted to keep my cast. Unfortunately for me, keeping it would not be an option.

I watched in horror as the doctor cut away my cast and asked me to move my arm. I told him repeatedly that I couldn’t move it. To me, my naked arm was still useless and would be forever. Yet the moment I realized the pain was gone I became overjoyed. I began manipulating my arm in every possible way. I was amazed by the fact my elbow was actually fixed, and that it was all thanks to the doctor. I began asking every question that came to mind. “So it will really be better forever? You won’t put the cast back on?” Every answer made me more interested in the doctor’s job. I began to think that he had a secret talent that only a few people in the world had, and I wanted to know what it was. From that point on I was sure that I would become a doctor like him one day. At the age of four, I was already determined to discover the art of healing and share it with the world.

As my mom and I made our way out of the hospital I released her hand and sprinted away. I wanted to share my discovery with everyone I could. I eventually spotted an elderly man slumped over in a wheelchair. I decided that he would appreciate my news more than anyone else in the room, so I crouched down next to him, looked up and said, “Don’t worry old man, the doctor will fix your legs. Look how he fixed my arm!” I then proceeded to show him all the directions I could swing and twist my newly healed elbow. He gave me the biggest smile just as my mother reached for me. I waved goodbye to the man and felt proud to have shared my good fortune to someone that truly needed it.

Thirteen years have passed by since that day, and many things have changed. However, I am still determined to discover the art of healing, even though I now know it is not as mysterious as I originally had thought. Last summer, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer in diverse medical environments. At these places, I learned what each dip and rise on a heart monitor means, how to attempt to encourage patients to eat the healthy foods they dislike, and what doctors do when a child refuses a throat swab. Each of these experiences has taught me a lot, but most importantly they have further promoted my interest in medicine. Although I have not yet discovered the art of healing, I know that with every year I get closer.