I think it's safe to say that hospitals aren't really much of a gray area. You're either there for a horrible moment or a beautiful, life-changing one. At least, that's what I thought before I worked at one.
I started volunteering when I was 16 years old, and ironically enough, I loved it. I say ironically because I actually hated hospitals. Being in the rooms made me feel uneasy and I had a hard time going anywhere besides my mom's office. Nonetheless, I didn't have a job and my parents worried if I volunteered at an animal shelter I'd try bringing all of the dogs home with me.
As expected, it didn't take long for that fear of hospitals to completely disappear. A lot of the time, we would bring newspapers or snacks to patients' rooms. The first couple of times that I did it, I wanted nothing more than to run in and out as quickly as possible. But it was nice to see somebody's face light up when I handed them their favorite candy bar—no matter how sick they were.
I also assumed that I wouldn't experience the emotional impact that other people did at hospitals. I was extremely wrong about that.
The gift shop sold stuffed animals and balloons that excited friends and family would purchase when their loved one had a baby. They could talk for hours about the new addition to the family. We sold coffee to the person waiting anxiously for their spouse to get out of surgery. The people who lost somebody near and dear to them would stop in for snacks and end up venting to their cashier.
Was it similar to a doctor experiencing the same type of thing? Absolutely not, but it was eye-opening. It was interesting, exciting, and heartbreaking to hear the things that people would tell you.
Personally, my favorite part of the job was interacting with people. I loved the man that dropped papers off on the weekends and brought books to donate that his wife no longer wanted. I loved the regulars that came in for coffee on the weekends. Most importantly, I loved the people that I worked with.
My boss was simply amazing. She radiated positive energy and was the kindest person. Before I became a clerk, I worked alongside others and became close to every one of them. A lot of my evening shifts were spent laughing, crying, and buying pieces of candy that I definitely didn't need.
In the beginning, I didn't think that being there would make such an impact, but it did. The day I had to put my notice in, I was in tears. I was going to miss getting to see my mom on lunch breaks. I would miss seeing my best friend's sister when I walked through the lobby. I was going to miss the routine and the people that I got to know so well. It was like saying "see you later" to a second family.
Working there helped me grow in ways that I would never have expected. For that, I'll be forever grateful.