Over the course of this term, I feel that I’ve lost sight of the things that are really important to me. I’ve been so preoccupied with academics, starting a service fraternity and my social life, that I’ve noticed myself taking more and more things for granted. It took a weekend of heavy introspection and self-re-evaluation to truly appreciate all of the opportunities I’ve been given. Opportunities that have come to me through the sacrifices of others.

These opportunities were available to me because I have been lucky enough to have so many generous people in my life.

These opportunities were available to me because of my father’s strong work ethic. His determination, hard work and love for us makes him willing and able to provide for my sisters and I. His goofy, selfless and out-going nature has also made him the perfect father to three daughters.

These opportunities were available to me because my mother spent her time at home with me, teaching me to read, write and become self-sufficient. My mother has fought for me academically since the first grade, and has always pushed me better myself, even when school faculty and administration didn’t see the point in it. She is a strong, intelligent woman who could have pursued anything, but she decided that her children and their future was the only pursuit that was important to her.

These opportunities were available to me because my grandparents, along with my father and aunts, left communist Romania so my sisters, cousins and I wouldn’t have our future’s decided for us by the government. So that we wouldn’t have to worry about having our hard work stolen away from us. So that we could have every opportunity that they weren’t allowed.

When you enter college, there’s a lot of pressure to find yourself. A lot of people believe that this means stripping away everything that has been given to you. They believe it’s necessary to find a person within yourself that has only come to fruition through some innate and isolated mechanism of maturation. They believe that growing up is becoming so independent that you need to shrug off the people you have depended on for so long. They believe that their decisions are their own and have little, if no effect, on those who have helped to shape them.

In my opinion, this thought process is counterintuitive to finding myself. It’s important to understand that we don’t belong only to ourselves; that we are a product of the sacrifices made for us and the events and people who have shaped us.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to my friends. I belong to those who have made me laugh. I belong to everyone I’ve shared an inside joke with. I belong to the people who have kept in touch after being apart for so long and those who I haven’t kept in touch with, as they have taught me to hold tight to those I hold dear. I belong to those who I’ve helped and I belong to those who have helped me, regardless of whether I’ve helped them or not.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to every educator who has instructed me. I belong to those whose classes I’ve done well in. I belong to those whose classes I’ve struggled in. I belong to those who have gone above and beyond to ensure that they’re doing their best to teach me everything I need to know to be successful. I belong to those who did their jobs poorly and forced me to become self-reliant when it comes to my education.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to everyone who has influenced me in my path to becoming a medical professional. I belong to every patient, scribe, medical assistant, nurse and doctor I’ve worked with. I belong to everyone I’ve worked with outside of the medical field, as they have only been helpful in steering me towards my current path. I belong to those who’ve made me loathe my job, as even after those rough days, I’ve still chosen to stay on this path.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to my aunts, uncles, cousins and grand-parents. I belong to those who have aggravated me. I belong to those that have shown me love and support, even when I was not deserving of it. I belong to those who haven’t been there as much as I would have liked them to, as their absence has only made me appreciate those who are around. I belong to them because I know our connection by blood means that I can count on them to be there for me, and I hope they know that I will always be here for them.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to my sisters. I belong to them because I am their role model. I am obligated to provide a good example for them to follow. I am someone they can compete with and I am someone they can excel past. I belong to them because we support each other. I belong to them because they need me, and I need them.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to my parents. I belong to the people who have raised me, educated me and supported me. I belong to the people who I know will love me unconditionally. I belong to the people who will let me know when I’ve lost my way. I belong to the people who will be my biggest critics and my number one fans. I belong to the people who have sacrificed the most for me to ensure that my future is bright.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I belong to God. I was fearfully and wonderfully created by him. He has given me the strength to persevere through every challenge I have faced. He has humbled me and kept me grateful for the people I have in my life. He has bestowed a multitude of gifts upon me, so that I am able to do His will. I belong to Him because he has created me with a purpose in mind that I can only hope to fulfill.

I don’t belong only to myself.

I am a product of kindness and selflessness. I am a product of love and sacrifice. I am a product of those who have negatively impacted me. I am a product of those who have shown me nothing but grace.

I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded. I am grateful for everyone who has brought me to where I am today. I am grateful for the sacrifices that have been made for me by those who love me.

I am grateful that I don’t belong only to myself.