Staring at a projector watching a lengthy video on the circulatory system, my name was the last I expected to be called by the guidance counselor entering our seventh-grade health class. What could they possibly want to talk to me about on an ordinary Wednesday morning? When I saw my mother standing in the office, I could feel the weight of her breath across the room. Tears in her eyes, I knew my life was about to change for the worse. It was that day I found out that the woman I considered my ‘second mother’ had committed suicide. At this point in my life, I didn't understand the weight of this word, its stigma, or its impact. I didn't understand how later this event would cause my mother to fall into a depressive episode and lead her to try to do the same. From that moment on, I became fascinated with how our brains work and why humans behave the way we do. My personal experiences have helped me to empathize with patients, furthering my love for medicine and neurological studies. Psychiatry is the reason why my mother is alive today, and I am devoted to providing that relief to another family. From my mother’s struggle with mental illness, I learned never to judge how someone is acting. You can never know what someone is going through, so it is best to act with grace and kindness towards everyone. As an allergy technician, I am fortunate enough to put this philosophy into practice every day. On a gloomy Monday morning, “Melisa” walked into my allergy clinic. After hearing banter and loud voices from the front, our medical receptionist entered my room. “Be careful with this patient,” she warned. She explained how Melisa had been yelling at them and offered me help in case the patient got combative or upset. I took a deep breath before grabbing Melisa from the waiting room and reminded myself that I can never know what someone is going through. I treated Melisa with kindness as I began her allergy test. I explained why I was doing every step and ensured she was comfortable with everything I was doing. After about ten minutes of being in my office, Melisa started to cry. She thanked me for treating her so nicely and admitted that she has been struggling with anger management ever since her husband died a couple of months prior. I listened to everything she had to say and gave her the space she needed to talk while still completing the allergy test in a timely manner. We bonded over our love for sunsets and nature, and at the end of the test, Melisa asked if she could give me a much-needed hug. At that moment, all Melisa needed was someone to listen. Melisa taught me that actively listening to your patients can make all the difference in making them feel cared for. Medicine must encompass caring for not only the body but also the mind. As I begin my journey in medicine, I hope to reflect on the lessons my experiences in healthcare have given me. I hope to always see my mother in the eyes of someone struggling and Melisa in the eyes of anyone who may come off as sharp. As a physician, I hope to treat the entire patient, both mind and body. I want to be kind, competent, and confident in my decisions. I am certain that my dedication to medicine will allow me to save the life and well-being of another family, just as my mothers’ physician saved ours.