Today marks the beginning of my last finals week ever! In just two short days, I will say goodbye to long days of studying, sleepless nights, bubble sheets, and final exams. And it is a good thing because I am officially burnt out by school. I have taken close to a hundred final exams in my life and today as I tried desperately to focus on the two exams I have tomorrow; I struggled to stay positive. Reminding myself that I only had 3 exams left wasn’t enough to make financial budgeting, risk management, and amputation socket types interesting or worth my time. So half way into our study session, Amy and I, decided that every time we were negative we had to stop ourselves and be positive instead. Our reaffirmation of thankfulness quickly began to get out of control and add a constant distraction of laughter to our already struggling study session. Our entire afternoon was spent being thankful for budget sheets, guest lecturers on subject matter not relevant to our profession, definitions we didn’t understand, legal infrastructure, and ,of course, orthotics. In the process of verbally being thankful for our test material, we had quite possibly the most entertaining study session of our PT career. (I should also add that it was also quite possibly the most unsuccessful study session we ever had) The material of our notes didn’t surpass the cups of coffee, the Eatin Park cookies, the Java Milkshakes, or the lunch combo at Zen Clay Café (yes we went to two different Restaurants today). And nothing could ever surpass our friendship. But because we choose to be thankful for material we hope to never see again; our study session will be remembered long after our epic fail in the morning.
I ‘m not truly thankful for final exams or classes that aren’t specific to my profession but I am thankful for the purpose behind them. I am thankful that one day, I will make a difference in other’s lives through the profession of physical therapy. I am thankful for the abilities to be considered qualified for such a profession. I am thankful for the experience of PT school. I am thankful that each study session, each panic attack, each confusing moment, each long class (and trust me there were a lot, each final exam, and each memory were shared with my best friend. Physical therapy school, just like everything else in my life, was part of God’s purpose for my life. Every part of our lives is specifically designed for His ultimate glory. We can’t always see the purpose. We don’t always understand the material. And we most definitely don’t always choose to be thankful. But with God we should never struggle to stay positive. We should spend our days just like I spent my study session; turning every negative thing we see, feel, and experience, into something positive. Knowing that God has our entire lives planned out should be enough to erase every negative thought from our heads. But unfortunately life doesn’t work that way and neither do our brains. It takes us awhile to see the greater purpose behind our current situation; it takes us awhile to admittingly be thankful for things that make us miserable. We are in control of our own misery friends. Don’t spend your days being miserable. Don’t waste the enjoyment of each day by seeing everything negatively. When you want to exchange your family for a new one, be thankful that you have siblings instead of being an only child. When deadlines and rude co-workers make you want to quit your job, be thankful that you can support yourself financially. When your house needs repairs, be thankful that you have a place to call home. Be thankful that although you can’t see the purpose behind your life; God does. Be thankful that positive things will always fill your days as long as you trust Him.
Today, I have completed the phrase, “I am thankful for…” with everything imaginable not just to make my long day of studying enjoyable but because I needed to reaffirm my purpose from God. I needed to remind myself that test scores don’t define my success in life. I needed to appreciate the details of PT school. I needed one more memory to add to my collection. I needed one more opportunity to tell God that no matter where His plan takes me in life; I know that the true purpose for physical therapy school was to meet Amy Lancaster. And there aren’t enough R’s of Risk Management or components of fiscal statements to make that purpose negative.
Verse to remember: Acts 2:25-28 25 David said about him: “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.
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