There's Something About Mary

Rosa M, the Vice President of the Bloomfield Chapter, reflects on how one special relationship has so significantly shifted her life.

During my junior year of high school, I helped start a club called GlamourGals.  While there, we help the senior citizens for a few hours forget about anything that may be going on in their life, and give them something new and fun to do. We paint the women's nails, play games, and talk to them. Listening to their stories have impacted my life in more ways than one. During my first visit, I met a resident named Mary who I can confidently say changed my life.

Each month at our visits I sit with her, do her nails, and talk about new topics. One day, she asked if I was going to go to college, and when I told her yes she said I should go in for medicine. Pursuing a field in medicine never even crossed my mind, and because this woman still knew so little about me I just nodded and said maybe.

However, throughout the year of going to visit the nursing home, I saw some of the residents in the nursing wing and my heart immediately ached for them. I have a need to help others in need, and it hurt me to know there was nothing I could do for them. I told Mary this, and she told me I would be an excellent doctor. I had been stuck in the mindset that I would be going into college for finance for a long time. So when I told Mary that that was my plan, she nodded in disappointment and told me I was wasting my talent of helping people.

After that visit, I went home and did research on colleges and universities that were known for their medical programs, and looked into the programs as well. It was intimidating no doubt, but it also made me feel excited, a feeling I had never before gotten about my previous plans. It was then that I knew that I was making the right decision. The love I have for helping people was a large factor for sure, but the main reason was because of my two youngest siblings. My baby brother, age 4, and baby sister, age 2, showed me the love I have for children, which is why I decided I wanted to be a pediatric nurse. 

After I had done enough research into it to be certain that that was what I wanted to do, I started telling my close friends and family. Every single one of them told me that is exactly what they see me doing in life, and the extra validation only proved this all to be more perfect. I had no idea what I wanted to do or be for the longest time, and not knowing scared me.

I owe so much to Mary, who helped me find something I never even knew I would love. I will never forget the moment I told her about my decision, her smile lit up my heart and in that moment I was more certain than ever that I was making the right choice. 

Being a part of GlamourGals not only changes the lives of the seniors, but it changes ours as well. Listening to their stories and getting to hear them talk about things they’re so passionate about is truly a blessing. I have learned so many valuable life lessons from Mary that I was never expecting.

I often think about Mary and how much she has helped me find myself. She always says how much she enjoys us coming in, but truthfully I think I enjoy it more.