If there is anything the pandemic has taught us, nursing is a secure profession that guarantees a career no matter the state of the world because there will always be someone who needs healing. However, being a nurse and practicing nursing are two different things. One can attend a profession to collect a paycheck and earn a higher income. In comparison, a person who practices the nursing profession to show those who need healing compassion and care at their most vulnerable time is what makes nursing a career that is not for everyone. Nurses care for those sick and vulnerable at times when they are sick and vulnerable. One can easily be called a nurse by getting good grades, having a 4.0 GPA, and paying tuition to attend good schools. It takes a particular skill and mindset to be a nurse with the patience and willpower to care for strangers. My "why" I am in the nursing profession comes down to a memory from my childhood of losing my grandfather to prejudice and unfair healthcare practices. Growing up in a third-world country, one has a particular worldview that compares and contrasts it with a first-world country like the United States. There are vast differences in resources and laws that the third world does not have. My grandfather was simple; he wore a white shirt, old jeans, and flip-flops everywhere he went. When he had his fatal heart attack, that is what he wore as well. He was brought to a private hospital and judged solely based on his outfit. The thought process was that this man did not have the means for upfront cash for us to initiate treatment. As every second passed by and he suffered, not one nurse nor provider acknowledged him in the hallway. Of course, he ended up passing away from the lack of care, negligence, and prejudice. This was hurtful to feel at a young age. A first-grader in the early 2000s in a conservative country merely understood what the adults were telling the children: that our grandfather went on an extended vacation. As one age, there is an understanding of that loss when an adult mentions the truth in passing. It felt like losing a loved one all over again, but this time, fully understanding the gravity of the situation. One tends to make assumptions and self-righteous vows that the feeling of betrayal alone is enough to say that one does not wish that feeling on their enemy. I guess I am trying to say, why am I a nurse? Because of losing a loved one, feeling hopeless and wondering the what ifs: What if one doctor did CPR? What if one nurse cared enough to advocate? Thoughts that hurt more than losing a loved one, knowing that all measures were performed to save their life. Currently, I am in in my second semester of achieving my Bachelor's in Nursing. However, I have practiced as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for six years before pursuing higher education. As a Vocational Nurse, I have tried my best to ensure that patients and their loved ones feel heard and seen with every interaction. When one is sick and vulnerable, it helps to have a compassionate heart. We may not always have the solution or save every life, but we can show how much we care and try. One day, I hope to specialize in Public Health and serve the community that is constantly overlooked.