What About Bob by Brooke

What About Bob by Brooke - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

What about Bob? Bob is an 89-year-old war veteran who has struggled throughout most of his life with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and who also loves puzzles. I wouldn’t know these things about Bob if I didn’t take the time and effort to step out from behind my desk. My main job as a receptionist at an assisted living community is to check people in and out and to answer the telephone. But by going out from behind my desk and meeting Bob I learned something: compassion. Compassion is something that cannot be taught but rather acquired through life experiences.
Bob is not the only resident who has taught me what compassion is. Another example is Olive who used to always sit alone and not want to be involved with the other residents. Every time I saw her sitting alone I would encourage her to go “hang out” and talk with the other residents. Time after time the answer would always be no, but one day I finally convinced her that everyone was nice and wanted her to sit with them. She went over and finally sat with the other residents. Olive is now a social butterfly. It makes me think that if I didn’t encourage her to go over and sit with them she may have never gone over there on her own. Gonhild is another a quiet resident. No one would have known that she and her husband had five children. Five children, who barked, played, and had four legs. They were golden retrievers and they were her life. Now she cannot have any pets because she is unable to take care of them. One day I decided to bring my dog in and surprise her. No one would believe the smile that was on her face. By working here and talking with the residents it taught me, by just putting in a little effort, I can make a big difference in these peoples lives.
I would like to pursue a career in nursing and having compassion is essential in this career. In nursing compassion creates a good bedside manner, which is important for patient morale. Patient’s wants a nurse who actually cares about how they are feeling and what goes on their life. When a nurse actually cares and has a good bedside manner, the patients are more likely to stay positive in their treatment.
All of these small things that I do for these residents make a big difference. That’s a small thing about me that goes unnoticed. I realize I can make a big change and use it in my future, because even with the best university and the best professors, compassion is something that cannot be taught, it has to come from within.