When I grow up, I want to be a Doctor :)
In Primary school, my friends and I would sit around during our lunch breaks and dream about the future. We would talk about what we wanted to be when we grow up. One would dream of being a Scientist, the other a Nurse, while one would want to be a Doctor or an Accountant. Every day our careers would change though, as our interests changed. One day I wanted to be a Psychologist, the next a Veterinarian. As I got to high school, I was pretty sure what I wanted to be. So were my friends. We had experienced things and learned so much. All this steered our paths towards who we wanted to become.
When I was 16, I met someone who would be in my life for a very long time. Someone who would change my life for the better. Someone who would show me that reaching my goals and living my dream was not far fetched at all. Someone who would show me that we could do anything we set our minds too. Someone who would show me that we could be anyone we wanted to be.
She was a year older than me, but looked so young. With her slim figure and green eyes, she was the envy of many young girls. She was also a ball of energy, she radiated sunshine. She was the person I wanted to befriend. And so we met and instantly clicked. We became friends. We hardly got to know each other when we were faced with a tragic event. The loss of someone who was so close to me. She was my Aunt, but her parents passed on when she and her siblings were very young. So my parents adopted them. And she became more than a relative. She became my sister. My older sister. I loved her dearly. Then I lost her. So, Meryl and I's friendship started. With one event that would solidify the foundation of our friendship.
Soon after the loss of my sister, the holidays had also come to an end and Meryl had to leave. It would be the last time I saw her like that again. The next time she would be a Woman. We kept in contact and spoke when we could, but ten years passed before I saw her again. And when I did see her, it felt like only a few days had passed. We still had that bond. We still spoke and never ran out of things to say to each other. We shared stories of our lives. We spoke of the dreams that had come true and the goals we were still working towards. We spoke of childhood memories and days gone by. We vowed never to let so much time pass without seeing each other again. We have stayed true to that vow.
Today, my inspiration came from my friend Meryl Geldenhuys. As I logged onto Facebook this morning, I saw she had a status update. It read ''Got my MP number!!!!! Officially a proper Doctor now.'' My friend had received her Medical Practitioner's number. I was filled with joy when I read that. She had achieved her childhood dream of wanting to become a Doctor and in doing so, made so many people proud. She is 28 and she is a Coloured Woman living the life she had dreamed of. She still has a lot she wants to accomplish, but she has already achieved so much.
Today, I want to tell her how proud I am to know her. I am proud to call her my friend. I am proud to know that although she has done so much, she still remains humble. She still remains loyal to those she loves. I am inspired. She is someone I look up to. She is someone who gives me hope. She shows me that our dreams can become our reality.
The young green eyed girl who once said ''When I grow up, I want to be a Doctor'', is now Dr Meryl Geldenhuys. An example to many.
I salute you. I love you.
I will continue taking care of our friendship.
And you will continue to inspire.
Miss Stone
When I was 16, I met someone who would be in my life for a very long time. Someone who would change my life for the better. Someone who would show me that reaching my goals and living my dream was not far fetched at all. Someone who would show me that we could do anything we set our minds too. Someone who would show me that we could be anyone we wanted to be.
She was a year older than me, but looked so young. With her slim figure and green eyes, she was the envy of many young girls. She was also a ball of energy, she radiated sunshine. She was the person I wanted to befriend. And so we met and instantly clicked. We became friends. We hardly got to know each other when we were faced with a tragic event. The loss of someone who was so close to me. She was my Aunt, but her parents passed on when she and her siblings were very young. So my parents adopted them. And she became more than a relative. She became my sister. My older sister. I loved her dearly. Then I lost her. So, Meryl and I's friendship started. With one event that would solidify the foundation of our friendship.
Soon after the loss of my sister, the holidays had also come to an end and Meryl had to leave. It would be the last time I saw her like that again. The next time she would be a Woman. We kept in contact and spoke when we could, but ten years passed before I saw her again. And when I did see her, it felt like only a few days had passed. We still had that bond. We still spoke and never ran out of things to say to each other. We shared stories of our lives. We spoke of the dreams that had come true and the goals we were still working towards. We spoke of childhood memories and days gone by. We vowed never to let so much time pass without seeing each other again. We have stayed true to that vow.
Today, my inspiration came from my friend Meryl Geldenhuys. As I logged onto Facebook this morning, I saw she had a status update. It read ''Got my MP number!!!!! Officially a proper Doctor now.'' My friend had received her Medical Practitioner's number. I was filled with joy when I read that. She had achieved her childhood dream of wanting to become a Doctor and in doing so, made so many people proud. She is 28 and she is a Coloured Woman living the life she had dreamed of. She still has a lot she wants to accomplish, but she has already achieved so much.
Today, I want to tell her how proud I am to know her. I am proud to call her my friend. I am proud to know that although she has done so much, she still remains humble. She still remains loyal to those she loves. I am inspired. She is someone I look up to. She is someone who gives me hope. She shows me that our dreams can become our reality.
The young green eyed girl who once said ''When I grow up, I want to be a Doctor'', is now Dr Meryl Geldenhuys. An example to many.
I salute you. I love you.
I will continue taking care of our friendship.
And you will continue to inspire.
Miss Stone
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