The person who risks nothing, does nothing. Has nothing!

That quote, from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, has made me think a lot about why I am here.  Why did I choose to be uncomfortable (for a little while) and step beyond anything I knew before?  Why did I choose to study the care of those with Alzheimer’s Disease? 

I came because life is change, and we are meant to grow and change and learn.  When I went to Xavier, I knew absolutely no one when I moved in.  But I was okay with that, and I made fast friends with the girls in my hall and hit the ground running.  I grew accustomed to my life at Xavier and was very comfortable there. 

I think I got a little too comfortable, and forgot that life is about change and moving forward.  I remembered that when I moved to Cleveland, and was alone. 

It can also be argued that “Life is pain, highness”, but this pain comes with such glorious joy, that I would always be willing to walk through the unpleasantness of life in order to share in the love that is present. 

Now, this is incredibly hard to remember when you are feeling incredibly sad and lonely, and want nothing more than to have a friend with you, or crawl into your mother’s arms, but if you stick it out, and wait for the splendor that will greet you, you will thank yourself.

Another quote that has inspired me is:

“Nothing here has worked out quite as I expected.”

“Most things don't.  But sometimes what happens instead is the good stuff.”

When I came to SveDem, I wasn’t exactly sure what I would be doing.  (The introvert in me didn’t like that, but the extrovert in me took over and said, “it’s an adventure, it will be fun!”)  And it has been!  I’ve been helping a coworker edit a paper that will describe how SveDem (the Swedish Dementia Registry) works. (It’s my English-speaking skills they want! :) 

Awesome.  I feel so professional.   Which is a big deal because I’m working under one of the world’s leading Alzheimer’s researchers, Bengt Winblad, and I’m the only one not in a Master’s, PhD, or Post-Doc program.  I am surrounded by greatness! 

Being an independent researcher has its perks, and I will get to do a bunch of really cool things.  I’ll update you when they happen so you can hear just how awesome they really are! 

Hej då från Sverige!