Gratitude

I feel like it's been so long that I should introduce myself again. I'm VSBB, your friendly neighborhood veterinary student. We last chatted, oh, probably five or six months ago, before the fall semester got crazy and then the spring semester took over my life. But now it's summer, so hello! Please don't resent me for being out of touch. You were my second call, right after I let my mother know I was still alive despite my finals' best attempts.

Anyway, I was hanging about in my neighborhood this lovely holiday weekend when I met a family with two young children. Emily, the daughter who is finishing up first grade, wants to grow up to be a veterinarian. I am basically the coolest person she's ever met (because her family has no pets, so she doesn't actually know any veterinarians. Oops?). She and I both love puppies and kitties and bunnies and horsies and now we're basically BFFs. Awwww.

I know this blog is usually about the stuff that legitimately makes veterinarians want to behave badly, and that's cool. I think it's a valid outlet and I'm glad we can talk about stuff. But today, you know what? I'm pretty thankful that I'm living the dream. A little girl thinks I'm awesome, I know a hell of a lot more than I knew at this time last year, and despite all the bad stuff, I am going to have a career that will let me do good.

Yes, you're welcome to throw that last sentence into my face when I start complaining about my student loans.

I'm also grateful today that I can go about the business of becoming an animal doctor without many worries about life outside veterinary school; I'm grateful to the heroes who have lost their lives in military service and to their families and friends. Happy Memorial Day to all of my fellow 'mericans!