The life course scholar retreat was not what I expected. The view was breathtaking, the people were welcoming, and the lessons learned and perspectives heard made me realize the importance of empathy, vulnerability, and mindfulness. Playing the game of life helped me gain a better understanding that our lives are dependent on the conditions that we were born into, creating a chain of events that will affect us in the future. It made me realize how much harder disadvantaged people have to work in order to even catch up to others that may be slightly more privileged in life. This game put my life into perspective and showed that no matter how difficult you think your life is, you should still be grateful for the small things as well as the importance of funding organizations and programs that help low socioeconomic groups.
I learned the importance of vulnerability and opening up when we were discussing an image of us to our partner. I decided to show my partner a picture I took while I was on a medical missions trip in Peru. Looking back and being able to reflect on this experience brought back many memories of that day and feelings of triumph after days of volunteering for long hours in the dusty, hot villages in Peru. Hiking up to Machu Picchu did not only allow me to strike it off my bucket list, but the whole journey and the patients I have encountered also helped me solidify my desire to become a pharmacist. It was nice to tell my partner about what I saw and learned from this experience and be able to open up about how the trip was eventually worth it despite the struggles and obstacles I experienced. Hearing about other people’s accomplishments as well as passions made me wish that I had shared some things with more people, but it was enjoyable to celebrate and empathize with others while their stories were being shared.
I experienced mindfulness during our walk around the coast and when we went back to the house to write about how we envision our lives at 80. There were so many things that I did not notice or would have noticed if we were not told to think about the challenges that older people might have if they were to walk on the same path. Writing about our lives at 80 allowed me to think of my long term goals and what I would do to accomplish them. After discussion, I realized that there are so many thing about urban planning and cities that I do not know of, let alone, the perspective of elders when it comes to city layout, healthcare, and wellbeing. I am excited to see what else is in store for the rest of the two quarters and how it will help me get a better insight into healthy aging and how it can help me become a better healthcare provider.
I learned the importance of vulnerability and opening up when we were discussing an image of us to our partner. I decided to show my partner a picture I took while I was on a medical missions trip in Peru. Looking back and being able to reflect on this experience brought back many memories of that day and feelings of triumph after days of volunteering for long hours in the dusty, hot villages in Peru. Hiking up to Machu Picchu did not only allow me to strike it off my bucket list, but the whole journey and the patients I have encountered also helped me solidify my desire to become a pharmacist. It was nice to tell my partner about what I saw and learned from this experience and be able to open up about how the trip was eventually worth it despite the struggles and obstacles I experienced. Hearing about other people’s accomplishments as well as passions made me wish that I had shared some things with more people, but it was enjoyable to celebrate and empathize with others while their stories were being shared.
I experienced mindfulness during our walk around the coast and when we went back to the house to write about how we envision our lives at 80. There were so many things that I did not notice or would have noticed if we were not told to think about the challenges that older people might have if they were to walk on the same path. Writing about our lives at 80 allowed me to think of my long term goals and what I would do to accomplish them. After discussion, I realized that there are so many thing about urban planning and cities that I do not know of, let alone, the perspective of elders when it comes to city layout, healthcare, and wellbeing. I am excited to see what else is in store for the rest of the two quarters and how it will help me get a better insight into healthy aging and how it can help me become a better healthcare provider.