As a young reader, my favorite possession in the world was an enormous tome called My Big Book of Fairy Tales. I was endlessly intrigued by the sprites, fairies, jinn, and other mystical creatures that inhabited those pages. In my eyes, these sharp-witted, compassionate, mischievous characters weren't just the sidekicks; they were the real heroes. Whether a story was about a brave knight or a clever princess, it was still a fairy tale.
My interest in fairy folklore was rekindled during a time of adversity. When cancer forcefully interrupted my medical training, I had the opportunity to reflect on my ideals. Looking inward, I clearly saw two aspirations: I wanted to live healthfully, and I wanted to create joy. After lots of soul-searching, I determined that medicine was no longer the right path for me. When I thought about what I wanted to do instead, I kept returning to fairy tales. "Wouldn't it be nice," I wondered one afternoon, "if I could somehow just be a fairy godmother?"
I decided then that I could. And I would.
Being a fairy godmother means creating joy.
For me, "creating" means making art, writing words, and composing music. "Joy" is beauty, love, simplicity, and laughter. I am a dreamer who is also a doer. I want to bring wooden concepts to life, and to transform spartan cotton ideas into silk taffeta ballgowns. I want to make dreams come true.
Being a fairy godmother means inspiring others.
I find joy in working with people. As a physician, I enjoyed working with patients, but I especially loved the camaraderie and sense of community I developed with my co-workers.
My favorite rotation as a senior resident was general inpatient wards. In this busy role, I was officially the team "list wizard," keeping our detailed patient worksheet meticulously updated. I was also my team's safety net: if anyone on the team missed a decimal point somewhere, it was my job to spot it. But what I really loved about being a senior on wards was being the team's bubbe, or grandmother. As a senior, I brought cookies for the medical students. I signed prescriptions and loaned out my stethoscope to the interns. When our patient census exploded in the ICU, I personally took on the extra patient admissions. My team was always my team.
Being a fairy godmother means continuing to discover.
I am endlessly curious. I love asking questions and learning new things, and then asking more questions. I take old ideas, and fuse them together to create new ideas. If creativity is like having a magic wand, learning is like having wings.
Being a fairy godmother means inspiring others.
I find joy in working with people. As a physician, I enjoyed working with patients, but I especially loved the camaraderie and sense of community I developed with my co-workers.
My favorite rotation as a senior resident was general inpatient wards. In this busy role, I was officially the team "list wizard," keeping our detailed patient worksheet meticulously updated. I was also my team's safety net: if anyone on the team missed a decimal point somewhere, it was my job to spot it. But what I really loved about being a senior on wards was being the team's bubbe, or grandmother. As a senior, I brought cookies for the medical students. I signed prescriptions and loaned out my stethoscope to the interns. When our patient census exploded in the ICU, I personally took on the extra patient admissions. My team was always my team.
Being a fairy godmother means continuing to discover.
I am endlessly curious. I love asking questions and learning new things, and then asking more questions. I take old ideas, and fuse them together to create new ideas. If creativity is like having a magic wand, learning is like having wings.
