Saturday 12th of May was International Nurses Day, celebrating the contribution that nurses make to societies around the world. Organised annually by the International Council of Nurses, the date has a very strong significance, being the birthday of perhaps the world’s most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale.
I had been wanting to create a special post dedicated to this worldwide celebration of caregivers, but with Mother’s Day promotions and life in general, unfortunately time got away from me. So here it is, belated as it may be.
I have chosen to honour this occasion with an excerpt from my debut novel, The Wilted Rose.
The Wilted Rose tells the story of Sarah Ross, an ambitious young woman who aspires to a career in nursing amidst a strict religious upbringing. From a dairy farm in Maleny to the bustling city of Brisbane, The Wilted Rose follows Sarahʼs journey from an A grade student to a career woman of the 1950s, and the challenges she faces balancing her passion for nursing with the traditional path of marriage and children.
The Wilted Rose
Standing a few feet from the letterbox on the street corner, in her hands Sarah held a plain white envelope. People hurried all around her, and cars roared by in both directions.
“Is this right”, Sarah wondered. “Was it really God speaking to me or my own selfish voice in my head?”
Her legs felt like concrete as she stepped forward. Her heart pounding in her chest, she reached up to the slot, but quickly pulled her hand back.
“What if I was wrong? Should I really be doing this?”
The letterbox was just an ordinary object, yet it was the gateway to her dreams. The everyday utility on the corner of a busy city street was the borderline, tearing her heart between her mother’s wishes and her own heartfelt desires. She had never disobeyed either of her parents in her entire life.
She reached forward again and opened the lid, and with a deep breath she released her fingers and the letter slipped inside. In that split moment, she felt the eyes of the world upon her. She knew that if her application was accepted, the dynamics of their family life would change forever.
She turned and walked back up the hill toward the bookstore, and a new excitement rushed through her body. Her steps became bolder. She pulled her shoulders back and held her head high. She could taste her dream; she felt strong, content, and wanted to dance and scream with exhilaration.
The Wilted Rose is available WORLDWIDE in paperback and ebook
“An excellant young talent who really places you in the scene of the story…’- Cynthea Wellings, Ausmed Publications
“A look back in time at the affect of mental illness on a caring family.” Debra Cottrell, Carers Queensland
Kate Kelsen 