A Shot in the Arm

Panda Girl had her 18 month old well-check today. She now weighs in at 23+ pounds and is 32 inches tall. She was declared in excellent health. I had brought along Sweet Pea to have her get her seasonal flu vaccine alongside her sister. I had been told the office did not have any H1N1 vaccine available. I had thought, oh well. I'll call again in a couple of weeks and see if some has arrived. Well, as we sat in that disease infested waiting room, there was a UPS delivery. I was too busy following Panda Girl around with hand sanitizer to think about what the office could be receiving.

After visiting with the doctor he asked if I wanted the little ladies to get the H1N1 vaccine. That UPS shipment had contained the vaccine. I told him to sign us up and off he went to get the nurse with the needles. They both got the injections and then lollipops (Panda Girl's first).

Sweet Pea was asking why we had to give them boo-boos to keep them healthy. The concept was totally lost on her. Husband and I started discussing that it is hard for a three year old to comprehend how pain can bring health. As I thought about it more I realized how often adults miss the same message.

We lament out difficult situations. We complain that life is hard. Why is it so hard to believe that this pain and difficulty are used to help us reach our purpose in life? Do we not understand that a life without hardship was never promised to us? These individual experiences make us unique. Thus, we each have something different and important to contribute to our world. While my contribution may be calming little ladies after painful vaccines right now, this phase will not last forever. It is but a season. What is my ultimate purpose? I have no idea. What I do know is that each day I am a little closer to fulfilling the role that is uniquely mine.