Why I Want to Be a Neonatal Nurse

“I’m pregnant,” my mom whispered to me one evening over dinner. I sat there speechless, trying to process what I had just heard. ”What?' “What do mean my life will change forever?” “ Is this really happening?” “Why me?” All of these things screamed inside my head as my parents stared at me awaiting my reaction. It seemed as if I needed a lifetime to comprehend the news they just threw at me. I had just lived the last fourteen years of my life as the center of attention. Any life milestone, regardless of how ordinary or exceptional, was always celebrated and lavishly praised. At the age of fourteen, having your parents' full attention and being spoiled meant everything. Were things going to change just like that? Our life was already perfect.

As my parents reassured me that they would always be there for me and their love for me would never change, I already felt like things were different. I was going to be a sister. As the months passed, I grew anxious about her arrival. I wasn't sure if l was more nervous about things changing at home, or actually meeting her. Finally, the long-awaited day arrived. I remember running down the hallway of the hospital to my mom's room and frantically looking for the new addition. The moment I saw my sister for the first time, I learned what true unconditional love was; this was the first lesson my baby sister taught me.

As time went on, things changed at home, as they always do when a baby is born, but I began to change too. I looked forward to coming home every day and to see her beautiful face and watch her grow. I will forever cherish the moments I helped my sister take her first steps, speak her first word and ride a bike. I didn't mind sharing my parents or our lives together because I realized that my little sister was simultaneously teaching me something new every day.

I found myself striving to be the best example of acting as a positive leader and good person. I’ve learned that all the things that made her happy also made me happy. She taught me how to be tolerant and humble not only with her but in life. She became a part of who I am, and I will be forever grateful to her for teaching me valuable life lessons.

The day my sister was born, I realized that there is so much more in life for me to learn.  I will never be against change or believe I know all the answers. I know that I must learn from every situation no matter how uninviting it initially seems, or how it turns out. When there is change, there is something to learn. I look forward to the future with my sister and will continue to be her mentor and forever her best friend. She has shaped me as person and l continue to learn from her every day. Today, I can say that I never knew what I was missing in my life until she was born.

She is the one who made me realize what I want to do for the rest of my life. My baby sister is the reason why I want to be a neonatal nurse practitioner. The day she was born, was the day I realized how much a baby means to someone. Having a healthy and happy baby is what every parent hopes for and I want to be the one that parents rely on for that. My goal is to make a difference in the lives of infants and their families. I will always be confident in myself and work as hard as I can to be successful in college and to be what I've always dreamt of being, a neonatal nurse practitioner.