Joel's Blog

It feels like it's been forever since I have really sat down and made a true post on this blog. So much has gone on within the last few years, and so much has happened within the last couple of weeks.

As many of you know, I am leaving Disney to start pharmacy school. I want to spend my life helping people and speaking with people through the means of medicine. I'm quite excited actually! I remember coming down to Disney and feeling very unsure where I wanted to go in life. Opportunity of change was on the doorstep, and I went with it. I've spent three very enriching and educating years here, I've learned things about myself and other people, I've also learned the true meaning of being human. Such realizations came to me when I had the opportunities to interact in a whole different level with people. Winning over the heart of a scared child, seeing the warm smiles on the elderly, and to hold the body of a dying individual really makes you think. It's humbling to realize how insignificant one person is to the existence of life but how powerful it they can be to one person. I've been able to see tears of joy streaming down people's faces as they get a chance to meet their hero and live in a dream they've had since childhood.

Today was a great example of this situation. Working in the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It Street Party at the Magic Kingdom, my friend Baloo was doing his usual thing - moving, shaking, and celebrating. Feeling the warmth of happy people vibe in the area, I couldn't help but have a wonderful time. Then, I spotted a young lady, probably around eighteen, waving bigger than anyone else right at Baloo. She was loving it! She even had a pin that read "I'm Celebrating Baloo." So, when Baloo got off his float to dance with the spectators, he ran up to her, grabbed her hand, and ran with her to his place to dance. She would say, "Baloo! You're my favorite. I love you!" Side by side, they danced together as if they had been best friends for life. Her smile was so intoxicating as she mimicked the movements of Baloo. Finally, he gave her the biggest hug and blew her many kisses as he returned to his float. From then, their eyes were locked and they continued their moment as she followed the float as far as she could.

Later on in the day, they had a special meet and greet with just Baloo, the girl, and her mom. It was there I learned the true meaning of why she was so obsessed with this blue bear. After they had a bit of time together, she began to explain why she came to Disney World so much with her mom. When she was growing up, her favorite movie to watch was the Jungle Book. I assume many of you saw that coming... Regardless, she would watch it all the time! Her favorite character, of course, was Baloo. But, then she began to explain why he was so significant. You see, when she would watch that movie, she'd watch it with her father. Reciting all the lines, dancing all the dances, and singing the songs of Baloo was her dad. It wasn't much later in her life that he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. I could see how much of her dad she saw in Baloo and how much of her emotions attached onto him. Needless to say, the moment was solace. The embrace they held went beyond the sense of touch; it was something unbelievable. Eventually, their time had to end, and it ended in an array of love.

It's moments like that where I feel the need and want to help people. Needless to say, being able to do what Baloo did may be very challenging as a pharmacist, but I won't ever stop trying.

People ask me why I decided on pharmacy. The story was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. I knew I didn't want to stay at Disney forever, or at least in the same job, so I took to my leaders to give me more knowledge of what the company had to offer in the entertainment department. I met with a manager, and we walked around the Magic Kingdom talking about tech and engineering work. It was pretty cool what I had a chance to see. Not many people can say they have been in the attic above the ice cream shop. Anyway, after the day, it was evident I had to get more schooling under my belt before I could get any positions. So, I thought, if I was going to be in school full-time, there's no way I would want to be working full-time. That's when I knew, I had to move to Kansas where I had a place to stay and could focus more on school. I also figured, if I was going to school, I may as well make it worth while and really strive for something. So, I browsed miscellaneous job websites for high paying careers, and on one government site, I found the pharmacy listing in a hospital on the beach. That was my goal! I had seen it with my eyes and believed it with my mind. So, the rest is, how you say, history.

Onward.