I've collected the small pieces of paper from the insides of fortune cookies for many years. I'll occasionally find them stuffed into wallets or purse pockets when I go to change from one to another. Sometimes I'll laugh at the small paper message. Sometimes I'll contemplate on the message for the day. Most of the time, I'll stuff it into another wallet or purse to find on another day.
I actually have a small wooden box packed somewhere that's got lot of these tiny strips of paper. I couldn't find it in time for this blog post, but I may have to look for it just to see what treasures are hidden inside. And, don't even get me started on the whole ".. in bed" game. We might save that for a whole other kind of post.
Since I couldn't find my most recent fortune cookie message, I went to horoscope.com and hit their fortune cookie feature to see what would turn up...
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| from horoscope.com |
"Stop letting other people stand in your way."
I'm trying to find a reference point for this, because in general I've never let anyone stand in my way of doing what I wanted to do. Oh sure, as a kid had to follow the rules and do what the parents wanted, but as an adult, if I wanted something I went after it and usually got it.
The one thing it did make me think of was some advice I recently gave to a mentee from my alma mater. My university started a mentor program, and I actually got to meet my mentee while I was in San Diego last month. She asked me how I would handle this situation: she went to a meeting of a new student group that was forming and felt a little uncomfortable being the only Hispanic woman going into the meeting.
I couldn't help but hold back a chuckle. I quickly explained that there were two things I've never thought of myself as being when I've gone into a new situation: a Hispanic or a woman. I explained that I would have walked into the meeting as a student first with some experience or knowledge to share or add to the group. When applying for medical school, or interviewing for a surgery program, my race or gender were never carried into the room with me... I was an intelligent student with a strong background and great letters of recommendation. In the emergency department I'm not the Hispanic female doctor leading the code, I'm the doctor leading the code... with a kick-ass smile and a fiery attitude... ok, so maybe I carry a little of my race and gender with me... but it's not how I define myself.
I told her to stop seeing herself as an identity and focus on what she is... an intelligent pre-med student with a voice and something to share in the new student group. She deserves to be there as much as any other person in the room no matter their background or chromosomal identity... she wants to be a doctor, and I'm trying to share a little bit of my attitude with her... we'll see how she does because sometimes the person standing in your way is yourself....
#NaBloPoMo18
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