Building bridges between readers and writers (part 2)
My story:Overcome adversities, forgive and get closure.
As I stated in other post published in Medium “Building bridges between readers and writers (part 1)”, I feel like more often than not, readers and writers are separated, and we as readers often see them as Unreachable.
I wrote this post with my story as a self-written unconventional bio to build that bridge with whoever is reading and wants to feel closer and equal.
Overcoming tragedies and challenges to fulfill your dreams is the single most powerful force to excel in everything you propose to do, not only for the strength we gain in the process but also in memory of the ones we leave behind. I believe that is why the following quote by Friedrick Nietzche is so significant for me. “That which does not kill me, makes me stronger.”
My name is Diego Hijano; I grew up in a small town on the Atlantic coast of Argentina (Necochea). I was born to a lawyer and a housewife, and my brothers and I had a wonderful, almost idyllic life. All my life I knew I wanted to be a doctor; so when I turned 18 and graduated from high school I moved to a bigger city to study medicine. I remember I was very excited! Everything was new: I was living in an apartment, going to classes at the University, meeting new people… Until one week prior to my first Anatomy exam, I received the phone call that would change my life forever: my parents had died in a car accident.
I was simply devastated. I couldn´t make sense of the shock and the horror of the news. It was a nightmare. I went back to my hometown, said goodbye to my parents as best I could and turned to friends and family for support. A few days went by and the sadness was immense. And then I remembered I had an exam: so I went back to La Plata (where I was studying) and I sat for it. I got an A and I realized that even after the worst tragedies, there is always something to look forward to, that the trick is in not giving up.
That day I learned my parents were right: I could do whatever I wanted as long as I did it with passion. That very same year I met the girl who would eventually become my wife and the mother of my two daughters.
I thought I had enough, but more adversities came. The car accident was follow by another one, my best friend.
Medical school was life-changing; I felt that children represent hope, an extremely powerful emotion, and because of that I decided I would devote my life to work for their health and their development.
When I finished medical school, I applied for a residency in one of the best pediatric hospitals in Argentina and failed. It was tough but I embrace moments like that because I’ve learned that “every cloud has a silver lining”. So I talked to the Director of the Hospital, who gave me the opportunity to do a concurrency, which, in Argentina, means being a resident without a salary. After one year of working around 60 hours a week “for free”,I re-applied and made it in.
But things were far from ideal. While doing my training, I could see that the situation in Argentina made it impossible to do a combination of clinical service and research, which was what I most aspired to. The system simply does not support to carry out both activities.
I kept working hard, always remaining on the alert for an opportunity to travel abroad and carry out the training and experience I needed to continue building my career. I got the opportunity to meet and listen many researchers from the world talking about their projects. I wanted to be like them.
Until one day it happened: I was invited join a laboratory at Vanderbilt University. And that’s how my wife, my two daughters, my three pets and I moved to the US. And once again, though on different soil, I’m working to fulfill my dreams.
Before leaving Argentina I received a letter from a woman who lives in my hometown. She wanted to thank me, because having seen me smile during our occasional encounters in the last few years had shown her that there is hope and even happiness after tragedies: her parents had just died.
I feel in peace now, since I know I have honored my parents by learning from their most wonderful gifts: my father’s ever present smile and my mother’s courage to take out the best of those around her.
Last year I found Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a weird yet powerful therapy which allowed me to forgive and understand that:
We are victims of victims that were also victims at some point, and for whatever reason some of us are engaged in that chain to break it, to stop it.
During the last 2 years my family and I have enjoyed the experience of living in this country, which is culturally so different from ours. I’m still amazed by where I am personally and professionally.
To be honest, I don´t think I´m particularly smart or smarter than the next person; rather, I believe my strengths lie in my perseverance, my passion, and a tremendous will to keep at it.
Here´s my favorite quote, the one I read every morning when I wake up:
“Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth.” (Archimedes)
By the way I do have a small, brief bio as well but it will always take you to the one above:
Diego is a happy husband and father of 2 beautiful & sweet girls. He reconnected with God on his healing process. Good rugby player, fair tennis player and awful soccer player. Like to play puppets and Barbies (not much of a choice though:). My wife and I enjoy a lot to go out for dinner, have a good Argentine Malbec and watch movies in the cinema. Huge fan of Toys, Dragon Ball, Robotech, The Avengers and Harry Potter. Trying to change the world one day at a time by keeping my inner child out there.
Playlist:
Nothing but complete silence this time.
