She captured me,
This young woman,
Curled on the hospital bed,
Pale, in her fetal position,
Legs drawn up near her chest,
Yet her smile so strong and bright and welcoming. She described her illness
Without self-pity, without bitterness.
Somehow, through her journey of physical illness Her spirit shone brightly,
With hope for the future.
I could see in her eyes, that she had chosen
Joy and Meaning,
As she planned her future career in nursing.
I am in awe of this girl,
Of her grit,
Her resilience,
This beauty,
In the face of illness which could be crippling
But is not, for her.

Karen Jooste, MD is a Pediatrician at Duke who is as passionate about poetry, food and travel as she is about Medicine.