Curious About the egg, our Universe, and Your Purpose as a Future Veterinarian? Read This.

All great scientists can pinpoint a small, significant moment in their life that piqued their curiosity in the seemingly unexplainable. This moment challenged their internal structure and revealed to them their life mission, their ultimate purpose, their true potential. 

When she was just a little girl, she would sit for hours watching her hens, considering all the possibilities that could explain how eggs were made. It was this inherent curiosity with the way the natural world worked that enabled Dr. Jane Goodall to make revolutionary discoveries in chimpanzee social behavior and consciousness and become the quintessential icon of the human-animal bond. 

When he was only 8 years old, he saw a picture of Albert Einstein’s desk upon which an unfinished document was placed. He was so interested in the text that he went to a library to take a glimpse at a copy of it and, to his surprise, it was the unfinished work of Einstein’s Theory of Everything. From here, he took it upon himself to try and complete this work. Dr. Michio Kaku is now a world-renowned physicist and co-author of String Field Theory, a possible explanation for some of the greatest mysteries of our universe. 

Have you had a life-changing moment of instant curiosity similar to the one experienced by Dr. Jane Goodall or Dr. Michio Kaku? If so, that’s incredible. Defining moments like these truly set the tone for the rest of your life. But, three years into veterinary school and after so many interesting and fortunate opportunities, I have not. And I think that’s totally ok.  

Here’s my thought: 

Practice mindfulness and be fully aware of the small moments in day-to-day life.

Everyone will have their defining moment as long as they strive to be mindful and remain aware of the small, unassuming, yet revealing moments in life. I understand this constant awareness may be challenging to maintain, but when you recognize the seemingly insignificant moments of curiosity, like wondering how an egg is made, you allow yourself to be consumed by self-inspection and outward reflection. In doing this, you explore your place in the world and better understand your ultimate purpose within it. 

So be patient, discovering this defining moment will happen. Additionally, realize how exciting this all really is. The field of veterinary medicine is so diverse, it presents to us so much. So long as we stay aware of that small moment of curiosity that is waiting to be recognized, we’ll be on our way. We’ll find our answers.