From the Nursing Home to Nursing School
Rosa M. of Bloomfield High School Chapter expresses gratitude to GlamourGals and Mary, an elderly woman, for her personal development.
Prior to becoming a GlamourGals volunteer, I hardly ever stepped outside of my comfort zone. I was the shy, quiet kid who never raised her voice as I was always far too nervous. I decided to challenge myself and take on the vice president position of my town’s chapter. By pushing myself, I have learned so much about who I am as a person. From my experience, I have improved my public speaking skills and gained confidence as a leader. GlamourGals has shown me that I am more capable than I originally thought. With GlamourGals, I have refined my leadership skills and understood the value of compassion. This organization has touched my heart in more ways than one. I have bonded with strong, wise elderly women, who have inspired me along my journey of personal growth.
For instance, Mary, one of the seniors at the nursing home, has influenced the person I am today. From my first visit, Mary and I immediately hit it off. We were inseparable. During every visit, I painted Mary’s nails lavender, just how she liked it. She would talk to me about some of her greatest adventures from her youth, give me the best advice, and always make me laugh. We created memories that I will cherish forever.
Towards the end of my junior year, Mary asked me about my academic aspirations, and I did not have an answer for her. I did not know which avenue I wanted to pursue. In the back of my mind, I thought that I would just take the easy way out and end up going into business, without having a real passion for it. Mary shook her head in disapproval, and remarked, “You do that and you will waste your heart and your talent. Be a nurse, you have the heart for that.” I have never considered having a job in the medical field before, but her words stuck with me for the rest of the day. I decided to research nursing and to my surprise, it only took a few minutes for me to fall in love with the idea of attending nursing school in the fall. Because of Mary and the work that GlamourGals does, I am excited to further my education and continue the legacy of using empathetic leadership to help others.
Mary continuously inspires me to follow my passions and embrace my love of helping others. Throughout my GlamourGals career, I participated in the Valentine’s day celebrations and the My Dear Friend movement, embracing my leadership role and my respect for the seniors. Each year, during our February visit, we encouraged boys from our high school to hand out flowers to the elderly women so that they feel extra special on this day. With the My Dear Friend movement, I along with the girls in my chapter wanted to let the seniors know that we were thinking of them amidst the pandemic. Knowing that the seniors are completely isolated, we wanted to take action and show that they are not forgotten. In my everyday life, I remain determined to practice empathy in an attempt to lead with my heart and support my community.
