I found this previous blog entry of some of the voluntary work I did over the Easter holidays and my thoughts and reflections: (I apologise for the disjointedness!)
This morning from 10 – 2 I spent some time volunteering with young people with disabilities. This is something which I do on a regular basis and really really enjoy! I spent some time with one young lady today with quiet complex disabilities who I really enjoy spending time with, whilst I helped her to eat her lunch she realised that it is virtually impossible to chew whilst giggling at how much of a mess I had made; needless to say by the end of lunch I think we were both covered in Strawberry Yogurt!
I also spent a bit of time in the “sensory room”, this is a specialised room with projections of lights, a water-bed, a bubble tube, beanbags, a touch pad which plays songs when the hand prints are pressed and various other sensory stimulating activities. I have to admit it is one of my favourite places – I wish I had one as my bedroom! I always find it so calm and relaxing and could happily spend all day in it. I do think though that it reminds you of how the simplest things can be so enthralling and that some of the things which we stress about, school work, exams, jobs, yes they are important but sometimes taking a step back from it all and appreciating the beauty of things is really important.
After that I went to an interview for some more voluntary work at a local hospice. This is something which I am hoping to do in the summer time, and it was really interesting to get a feel of the place and learn a little bit more of what services it has to offer and how I can get involved. I know that the experience will be invaluable but at the same time it will definitely allow me to see what really is important in life – a bit like the sensory room in a way.
So I suppose today as really confirmed to me that medicine is what I want to do and has fuelled my passion – and hopefully it means I will study a little harder this evening! Yet it has also reminded me my reasons for doing medicine and just how much I should value the opportunities that I have.
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