I Met My Younger Self for Coffee

I Met My Younger Self for Coffee

I got there early and ordered a small black coffee. When she walked in, she glanced at my cup, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. I smiled and told her she could get whatever she wanted. She grinned and came back with a chocolate sprinkle donut.

She pulled out her Chandler’s planner, the back page filled with college prerequisites for vet school. I pulled out my iPhone, my Google Calendar packed with weeks of meetings and clinical hours.

She flipped through her photo album—pictures of her pets, snapshots from the county fair, and her beaming next to the world's largest pig. I showed her my Instagram, a highlight reel of the incredible cases I get to treat as a veterinarian.

She held up a newspaper clipping of herself, proudly holding a puppy up for adoption at the local animal shelter. I told her how I returned to that same shelter—this time, as a veterinarian, helping pets in need.

Then, she got serious. She worried about balancing a career and family. I reassured her—our oldest son spent summers working alongside me at the clinic, and our kids are proud of their mom for turning her dream into a mission.

She told me, "I want to be a veterinarian more than anything."

I told her, "I did it. And it’s everything you dreamed of—and more."

I made sure she knew—she was going to take this profession by the reins and change the world. For herself. For her team. For her community. For generations to come.

-Dr. Jordana

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