When weird worlds collide…

Last night, I left soup simmering on the stove and went to an alumni dinner for my medical school alma mater.

I usually avoid such things because of the obvious.  You know, the obvious things like the fact that I’m not practicing medicine anymore and therefore not much of a donor to the school and totally out of the game of medicine and its politics.  There’s also that the small fact that I spend my days teaching people about natural health and essential oils.

But the dean of admissions and  my gross anatomy professsor (also now the dean of student affairs) (both of whom were there I was a student and both of whom are  precious to me) were going to be there.  So, when I got the email, my answer was a swift yes.

As I was driving to the country club my heart was beating fast.

Am I nervous? I thought to myself.

I think I’m nervous.

I never get nervous.  Well, I mean, almost never.

It was the weirdest feeling.

Then I started to feel oddly self-conscious.  (also not normal for me.)

I took out my Frankincense and dabbed it on my wrist and almost immediately felt more at ease. I reminded myself everything I always talk about here on the blog—you know forgetting about yourself and being interested in other people and not worrying about where you’re going to sit and who you’re going to talk to.  In other words, I gave myself a good pep talk.

Once I got there, I was fine.  Mostly.  It’s a small town, there were several friendly faces, and Dr. Kwas and Doug Taylor were both a sight for sore eyes.

We hugged, we chatted about life and kids and I gave them both copies of my book, since they’re both mentioned in it.   I kept fighting back the urge for a whole world of memories to flood in—those formative, crucible years of medical training that broke me and then eventually remade me.   I felt hot again.

Funny how, even after all these years, not much changes.  Doug was always like a father to me and Dr. Kwas was by far my favorite professor of all time.  (That’s saying a lot for someone who has made a career out of learning).  Seeing them felt like one of those rare full circle moments— like coming home, being cared for, being known.

We all sat down and began to introduce ourselves and tell about our practices.

This is the awkward part I was dreading.

“Hi, my name is Edie Wadsworth. I graduated from the class of 1998, right about the time my Daddy died and my life fell apart.  From there I had two more babies right away and practiced medicine in a small town ER on weekend nights for 3 years, leaving there to practice 3 years as a family doctor in an office beside my husband.  That’s when the world is sure I lost my mind again and left work to homeschool my kids.  I started blogging and writing, and then became a certifiable Appalachian medicine woman.  Nice to meet everyone.”

I mean, that’s not exactly what I said, but I’m sure that’s what it sounded like.  It was a bad case of ONE OF THESE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER.

And I’m so okay with that.  Finally.

I absolutely can say that I am so thankful for all the twists and turns life my life has taken.

When I first started really exploring natural health and essential oils, it felt like going back to medical school all over again—learning so much that was foreign to me at the time, staying up late at night, reading and studying everything I could find.  I watched videos,  listened to audio recordings,  went to meetings.

Basically, it led me to a whole new lifestyle, a whole new set of priorities, a whole new way of thinking.

And in the weirdest way, it led me back home—to my roots, to the pledge I took as a young doctor, right there in front of Doug and Dr. Kwas,  to do no harm and to do my best to bring healing to those God brought in my path.

About the same time I was learning about essential oils, I also was writing my memoir  and reliving some of my most painful memories.  It was wreaking havoc on me emotionally.  I went into a dark season and it took its toll.  Thank God for the oils because I know those months would have been unbearable otherwise.  I will always associate that period in my life with some of our most powerful emotion balancing oils.

Young Living’s motto is wellness, purpose, and abundance and boy has joining this company given me all three.  I’m so very thankful.  I now make a full time living working part time from home sharing something that I believe in with my whole heart, something that has given me healing and wholeness and so much more.   It’s the best job I never knew I wanted.

To celebrate the weird twists of life and two year anniversary/oiliversary?, I’m doing a “weird worlds collide” giveway!

I’m giving away  a free bottle of Christmas spirit, a lavender lip balm, and a signed book to anyone who jumps in with me this month.*  (Just click this link and it will walk you through ordering process.)

I promise you that you won’t be the same.  When you join YL, you don’t just get a starter kit, you get whole new sisterhood/community and the invitation to a whole new way of thinking about wellness.  You get the unbelievable healing power of God’s medicine and (if you want) the chance to share that with other people.

Minus a few awkward dinner conversations, (and even those are pretty humorous!) you are going to be SO GLAD you jumped in.

I’ve said this before, but it’s true. I believe God gave me the gift of compassion for helping others  find healing.  Sometimes I’ve used medicine and sometimes words and often just a cup of soup or a smile.  I think I’m finally okay with however He chooses to use me, no matter how small or how ordinary it is or how awkward it makes alumni dinners!

I’d love to have you join me (you have until October 9th)  but either way, I’m sharing an Essential Oils 101 class I taught. Just click the link below.

Click here to watch my Essential Oils 101 Class!

*you must join with a wholesale membership and premium starter kit to qualify!