There is a significant difference between surviving and thriving in life. There's the textbook definition of surviving: to continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship, and the definition of thriving: to grow or develop well or vigorously. Now, there is a threefold thought process in this significant distinction, the concept is widely used by those who study the well-being of the human body, there are the physical, emotional, and spiritual categories of distinction.

The obvious physical aspect of growing is easy to comprehend. The body naturally grows – baring any medical conditions or childhood deficits that could stunt the natural growth. If the body grows; it survives. To thrive in the physical body takes a person's own effort. The human body is a temple. In order to build the temple, labor must be put into it. That means, a little bit of a physical exercise and some healthy eating would work as a great foundation.

Continuing forward, there's the emotional aspect. Now, in this way of speaking it will be geared towards the idea of maturity. The simple growth of maturity occurs due to living and experiencing what life has to offer. The acquaintances who are met, the situations that are thrust upon a person, or even the thoughts that run through a person's head. Again, if the person can live through the situation thrown to him or her, than he or she has survived such crisis. The thriving comes into play when a person choses to learn from those life experiences and take part in them rather that allowing the world to simply revolve around him or herself. Maturity occurs when people learn from their mistakes; and when they find a way to actively control their thought process. When the person takes control of his or her own life rather than watching the world continue on: thriving is achieved.

Lastly, and most certainly the most important, is the spiritual growth. A person can certainly grow with God and hold a relationship with God. Growing with God simply means to learn more about Him and to obtain more head knowledge. Surviving is tricky is this case because one could argue that a person could survive without the belief in God. However, since this is spiritual well-being, spiritual health is dependent on the belief in something. So, a person does need to believe in something in order to nourish his or her spiritual health. Thriving in the aspect of the belief of God means to develop a relationship with God and to know Him as a father, then acting upon that relationship to dedicate life to Him.

It's quite simple, growth is something that is natural and something human beings just don't have control over. Thriving is a task that requires intentional effort. However, both are ongoing tasks. Thriving is just something that so many fail at continuously or have no interest in. As for Meredith Grey, she was didn't care. Her only goal was to survive. If she could survive the day, all would be well. "Just get through today," she'd tell herself. One more breath, one more step, one more day.

In the middle of her last semester of junior year at college, she begrudgingly made her way to her one of her many, many science classes. Grunt work, as she called it. It wasn't that she didn't like science, it was mere idea that she was learning material that she would never use again simply to earn her degree. She had finished her pre-medicine requests her first two years at college and was left with the remaining classes to get her degree. It was becoming frustrating. She herself was becoming irritated. Class was long and boring as she had predicted, but before she left, her professor stopped her. "Ms. Grey, I was hoping to ask you something in private. Would you mind meeting me in my office in thirty minutes?" he asked. The man was a lovely gentleman. Kind and caring, so she didn't think twice before agreeing to his request.

After a quick stop downstairs in the science building to grab lunch, she returned to his office only to find not only her professor but also about three of her appointed advisors along with so other people who looked as through they held high positions in the university sitting around drinking coffee. Whatever they were laughing about had settled down when she entered the room, but their smiles remained. "Have a seat," one of the many intimidating people requested. It didn't come off as a demand, but she felt as though it was. She quickly sat, and looked to the ground and awaited a punishment as she went through her head for whatever she could've possibly done wrong. "Before you start worrying," her professor started.

Too late, she thought.

"We all just wanted to look over your schedule and we have decided that we want to offer you a position at that research facility that is in affiliation with university," he finished.

For a moment she was absolutely speechless. After collecting her bearings, she mustered up a barely audible "Yes, of course."

"Great, you'll start on Monday!" exclaimed an elder gentleman to her left who she didn't recognize. He must've been from the research facility.

"Now, I know you have a full course load, and you're also working on a research project on neurological defects, but I truly feel that this would be beneficial for you. I think having a job in the research are will give you some much needed experience. Since today is Wednesday, why don't you stop by on Friday to Human Resources to get your ID tag, fill out the paperwork, and we'll show you around the place. The rest of us will leave while Dr. Hastings explains what your job will be," her professor finished.

Meredith felt like is was a whirlwind of information so she simple shook her head yes, and the over crowded office emptied. She learned that Dr. Hastings, the man to her left, was indeed from the research institute. He was extremely kind and patient. The position she was offered was a safety instructor. Apparently, the entire institute had just recently "lost" their last employee due "personal reasons", so they were desperate to find a replacement quickly. As she was majoring in biochemistry and seemed to excel in it, she had been recommended for the job by her advisors. With a large packet that seemed to be thicker than her biochemistry book and the standard welcome packet she walked back to her apartment, threw herself on the bed, and picked up her phone dialing her friend who lived in the apartment right below her.

"Cristina," she exhaled, "I think I just sold my soul to the devil."

"Oh please, he already had you when you started dating that ex of yours, what was his name?" Christina practically cackled.

"Okay, we are not going back there. I mean it this time. I seriously won't have a social life or any type of life for that matter. This is getting to be ridiculous. I thought I could handle the six classes. Then I could do the research project. I could even take the ministry course so I could work on being "whole and healed". Then, out of no where, my advisors throw this at me. They want me to be a safety instructor at the research institute."

"You, a SI? Oh, that's just hilarious. That's like putting you in the kitchen to cook."

"You release you're supposed to be my friend right?"
"Yes, and as your friend, I say, you my friend are screwed. Good luck. We still on for Friday night drinks?"

Cristina had just turned twenty-one and was anxious to buy alcohol on her own. Boosting to Meredith about how she was legal and everything. Meredith, being a year behind all of her friends in age was still twenty, so she couldn't do anything yet.

"Only if you're paying."

"Done deal. Gotta go. I have class."

"It's okay, I'll just be drowning myself in paperwork. I'm serious. They killed a forest just to give me my job description."

After hearing a brief cackle from Cristina on the phone, the line went dead, so Meredith decided to get a jump start on her work before she lost her motivation.

The days had come and gone, soon enough it was Monday. After being briefed on her duties thrice more, shown her office, the basic wings of the institute, and the staff areas, Meredith set off to her office to move in a few files that she knew she'd need immediately to do her job. She was given a pager and told that as the new safety instructor of the entire building she would be called in for every emergency that occurred and would have to file the reports along with paperwork that followed. At that remark, she rolled her eyes, but decided to not be too annoyed considering she was planning on attending medical school and her life would be filled with endless pages.

Once her office had been sufficiently organized Meredith decided to wonder the halls of the institute. Walking by the labs, she recognized the biology labs, the psychology labs, the physics tutorials, and even the statistics lecture room. Finally, she found the entire chemistry department which happened to be significantly larger than what it had seemed during her brief tour. As, SI of the building Meredith had access to all of the rooms, so she made her way into the the third laboratory she found and decided to look around. What she found terrified her. There were so many breaches of safety protocol that she finally decided to just leave and find a plan of action. Right as she left, a tall man who was clearly older than her, but not old enough to be professor or any position beyond a fellow, stood there staring at her.

"Are you the cause for this mess?" Meredith all but accused him.

"Umm… No… Well, yes, I, mean. No. Some of it," he stumbled on his words.

Great, she thought, no wonder this is such a mess. The laboratory is being run by people with mental deficits.

"Are you able to speak clearly without stumbling on your own words?" she tried again, this time with a softer tone.

"Yes, it's just, we don't normal have girls here, and you are quite young,"

"Meredith Grey. New SI," She stuck out her right hand to offer a shake.

After returning the handshake,

"Derek Shepherd. Chemistry Ph.D fellow and M.D."