The title of my blog is "Los Caminos De La Vida," which means The Paths of Life. This is the title of a Colombian vallenato that I grew up listening to on the very popular Hispanic radio station, "Radio Wado 1280." I still listen to this radio station in the early mornings & the song was featured very appropriately yesterday,the day before my Graduation as an EMT. Whoa! I have had a lump in my throat all day yesterday and today...It is a familiar bitter sweet feeling I get after a difficult journey.
In 1997, someone who believed in me more than me, encouraged me to enter the 1st ever Women's Amateur National Boxing Championships. I had just lost a very close decision in the NY Daily News Golden Gloves in Madison Square Garden and honestly wasn't sure I was mentally ready. I remember my trainer's words 3 months prior to the big tournament like it was yesterday, "We are going to bust our butts and work harder than any girl out there! Mark my words, YOU WILL BE A NATIONAL CHAMPION!"
We overcame some rough adversities throughout our training that summer including recovering from a broken right wrist, but we were laser beamed focused and had one goal in mind..The week of the tournament was here! I fought for 3 days winning my bout on each day & making it to the Championship finals! My opponent would be a tough fellow NYer who had impressively stopped her opponents throughout the tournament. I was considered a huge underdog to everyone except my trainer. He just knew and believed in me & my abilities.
Right before the bell rung to start the bout, I took a deep breath, looked at my trainer and then at the sky. It was just going to take that leap of faith to dig deep & give it everything I had. I definitely gave it my all & ended up winning in a very impressive fashion. Right before getting the Championship Belt placed in an emotional ceremony, my trainer said to me "I am very proud of you." It was the very first time someone had ever said that to me and something I would never forget. During the ceremony, it was a bittersweet feeling knowing that all my hard work paid off & hearing something for the first time. What other feeling can ever come close to that?
Throughout the years after that, I have been very fortunate to use the accomplishments from different events to help me continue to believe in myself & apply them in other areas of my life. Each extraordinary moment taught me something new about myself & fulfilled me in a different way. Tomorrow, I will graduate as an EMT and receive awards for Academic Achievement & Perfect Attendance. This EMS course challenged me & pushed me to great heights and once again, helped me see what is possible when you don't give up no matter what the circumstances.
It's a bittersweet feeling that I will feel when I get my certificate/s. It may be that I will miss being challenged with tough exams on a weekly basis & being pushed out of my comfort zone with balancing school, work & training. It may be that for the first time, my mom & younger sister will be present in a very significant moment in my life or it just may be that here is an opportunity for me to be proud of myself and not wanting that feeling to ever go away...
"Los Caminos de La Vida," represents to me a lifetime of choosing different paths. I feel like I may have been dealt with some extreme and unusual circumstances throughout my life, but have been blessed to make the best out of each situation & still make own path.
Tomorrow, I will make a toast & enjoy this bittersweet feeling and look back at my journey through this Emergency Medical Services course and review my plan of working part-time as an EMT, help as many people as I can until I start Nursing School in the Fall while I continue my boxing dreams & pursuit of Excellence!
As always, thanking my supporters, friends & loved ones for accopanying me on this journey!
"Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams!"
Patricia Alcivar
"Patty Boom Boom"
www.patriciaalcivar.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L9itEadUCE
