I got mugged yesterday.
Let’s just say that it was a very negative experience. I’m ok – just short one sentimentally-important-but-otherwise-not-particularly-valuable necklace (dude ripped it off my neck while I was walking down the street in downtown Kampala in broad daylight, surrounded by business-folk).
It really scared me.
I think the hardest part has actually been the fact that I’m fairly bruised and sore around my neck where he grabbed me, which is making it harder to distract myself and forget about it, which is just making me feel more scared and vulnerable, which is making me pissed off. Blech. It’s actually the first time in my life that another human being has hurt me, which of course is evidence of just how blessed I am. Anyway, I left work early to come home this afternoon, nesting and trying to simmer down. Most of all, it’s helping me to think about something my mom said when I called her last night, breaking down as I told her what happened – after recovering from the news, she quietly said, “Wow, that person must have been so desperate.”
My parents are so amazing. I know how much this has scared them, and that they must be reliving some pretty terrible times from 10 years ago when I was exposed to rabies while living in Ecuador, and they couldn’t contact me or get any information about how or even if I was receiving prophylaxis for what is a 100% fatal disease. I know them well, and I know that all they want right now is for me to get my butt on a plane and come home, sit at the dinner table, and eat meatloaf. But instead, they cheer me on. And not only that, they remind me of why I’m here. I’m here because they raised me to try to see the good in people, to forgive their weaknesses, and to protect the vulnerable. I am humbled and inspired by mother’s ability to empathize with the man who assaulted her daughter on the other side of the planet. It would be easy for me to get pissed and leave; I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it crossed my mind yesterday. But it feels better to thank God I’m ok, take a deep breath, give myself some time, eat some cookies, watch the election, and go back to work. All of this became much easier this morning, when I started my first day on the pediatric ward here. I caught myself for a second, in the midst of making fish-faces at a 2 year old with AIDS in an attempt to keep her quiet while I listened to her infected lungs – this is why I’m here, to learn, to serve, and to teach myself to be brave, even when things get scary. Because there is work to be done, and one of these days, I’m going to be trained enough to actually make a difference.
Happy Election Day, my loved ones. These are the days.
Let’s just say that it was a very negative experience. I’m ok – just short one sentimentally-important-but-otherwise-not-particularly-valuable necklace (dude ripped it off my neck while I was walking down the street in downtown Kampala in broad daylight, surrounded by business-folk).
It really scared me.
I think the hardest part has actually been the fact that I’m fairly bruised and sore around my neck where he grabbed me, which is making it harder to distract myself and forget about it, which is just making me feel more scared and vulnerable, which is making me pissed off. Blech. It’s actually the first time in my life that another human being has hurt me, which of course is evidence of just how blessed I am. Anyway, I left work early to come home this afternoon, nesting and trying to simmer down. Most of all, it’s helping me to think about something my mom said when I called her last night, breaking down as I told her what happened – after recovering from the news, she quietly said, “Wow, that person must have been so desperate.”
My parents are so amazing. I know how much this has scared them, and that they must be reliving some pretty terrible times from 10 years ago when I was exposed to rabies while living in Ecuador, and they couldn’t contact me or get any information about how or even if I was receiving prophylaxis for what is a 100% fatal disease. I know them well, and I know that all they want right now is for me to get my butt on a plane and come home, sit at the dinner table, and eat meatloaf. But instead, they cheer me on. And not only that, they remind me of why I’m here. I’m here because they raised me to try to see the good in people, to forgive their weaknesses, and to protect the vulnerable. I am humbled and inspired by mother’s ability to empathize with the man who assaulted her daughter on the other side of the planet. It would be easy for me to get pissed and leave; I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it crossed my mind yesterday. But it feels better to thank God I’m ok, take a deep breath, give myself some time, eat some cookies, watch the election, and go back to work. All of this became much easier this morning, when I started my first day on the pediatric ward here. I caught myself for a second, in the midst of making fish-faces at a 2 year old with AIDS in an attempt to keep her quiet while I listened to her infected lungs – this is why I’m here, to learn, to serve, and to teach myself to be brave, even when things get scary. Because there is work to be done, and one of these days, I’m going to be trained enough to actually make a difference.
Happy Election Day, my loved ones. These are the days.
2 comments:
I'm glad you're safe! You're such a strong person, and it's awesome to hear that despite all the difficulties and obstacles you've had to face, you still retain hope: hope that things will get better, hope that you can change the world, and hope for the goodness of humanity.
I'm glad you're safe! Also, I love the headline...not so sure about that, but I am excited about our new president, none-the-less!!
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