Haleakala Observatory [Maui] Canon EOS 20D w/28-135mm IS Zoom

A couple of years ago I gave up on the idea of writing new-year's resolutions in favor of writing past-year reflections. This year I think I'm going to skip both, and simply observe where I find myself right now, as 2005 winds to a close.

Today I observe:
I love my job. I just passed my one-year anniversary as a Pediatric Intensive Care Registered Nurse. At work in the past year, I've found myself incredibly challenged in every way imaginable. The breadth and depth of knowledge I've had to conquer, the skills I've learned, the confidence I've gained, the emotional challenges I've faced as I've watched children die (and watched them live when I feared they'd die), the fact that I learn something new every day, the amazing people I work with, these things have provided me the best and most fitting career that I could imagine. I can't believe how lucky I am to go to work every day and do something that I love, something that matters, something that keeps me constantly challenged, and something I'm good at. I still feel like a novice, and some days I can't believe people trust me to take care of such sick small people, but as the days pass and my skills and confidence improve, I know that what I do is as much of a calling as I could hope for, and for that I feel lucky. I love my job.