Quote:
Originally Posted by roske1
LonelyChemist - I'm a scientist also (physicist). When I'm in an episode (like now, 18 months!) I realize what's more important than success in my career. It's success as a person. A good, caring person, one who is connected to others, one who has empathy for others. I wish I could remember that more when I'm doing well, but I'm more caught up in my own selfish agenda. It's unfortunate that it takes being knocked of my butt to realize that, but all I can do is try to remember what my priorities should *really* be when I get better.
Sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into being about myself at the end, but I thought that it just maybe might be of some help to you.
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On no, Roske. You did not make this thread go off topic. I always welcome intellectual and logical discussions.
My story is a very peculiar and baffling one from a scientific perspective. I have went through a lot and my parents are asocial but I am a very social and caring person. I want to become scientist mainly due to the fact I want to cure disease and help people live a better life. I always wanted to be a medical doctor because my childhood experiences taught me one thing - Having a physical illness (I used to get ill a lot, A LOT, when I was a child, and my infections would be quite severe) means getting married to pain, which can very well lead to something no one can reverse - Biological death.
I look at people like Dr.Hawking (my idol) and I get depressed. I often wonder, "Why did an innocent brilliant physics PhD student have to get caught by something terrible like ALS?" I am just eighteen but I want to focus on curing (or at least discovering more about the pathophysiology) neurodegenerative disorders. It's my own sense of purpose, it's my aim in life. Nothing other than helping the scientific community grow and eventually lead to a better outcome for rest of the world will give me the satisfication that I actually have fulfilled my life.
Thank you. I'd like to add, Dr.Hawking said (as you probably know), "So look up at the stars and not down at your feet." I am applying the quote to my life.