by Megan Veirun
27 years old
Pearl River, N.Y.
When I went away to college, my anxiety started to peak. Recognizing that mental health was a stigmatized area, I was drawn to study it. I’m now a registered nurse proudly working with the psychiatric population, while teaching an undergrad nursing course.
I just celebrated my one-year anniversary as an SGI member last month. I feel so much appreciation for my life and have gained the courage to challenge my negative tendencies instead of giving in to old patterns of self-doubt.
My Buddhist practice has also helped me recognize that there is immense potential within every human being, no matter what their struggles may be. With this in mind, I truly enjoy helping my patients. Because of the tenuous conditions brought on by COVID-19, it’s much more obvious that people are struggling these days. I’ve been sharing Ikeda Sensei’s encouragement with friends and co-workers.
I feel so honored to begin the next phase of my Buddhist practice as a new district young women’s leader. I’m also excited to participate in my first May Contribution.
Especially in this time of uncertainty, I’m determined to connect with as many youth members and people in my community as possible. I want to make sure they know that they are not alone in their struggles, and that we can all develop unshakable faith to overcome this together.
To me, “One Youth. Infinite Hope.” means having conviction in our abilities to change society, no matter how seemingly small each step might be. I’ve learned from Sensei that as we take action to encourage others, our strength multiples, and theirs does, too.
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles