Celebrating Our “Angels” this Thanks-Giving
“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.” Albert Schweitzer, MD, Humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient
There is a drawer where I keep cards, letters, and pictures that have been given to me over the years from patients, students, residents and colleagues, and when I’m feeling the need to be reminded of why I do this incredible but also demanding and emotionally draining work, I go through that drawer and pick out a few. This ritual allows me to reflect on the many people who have spoken into my professional life and in doing so, helped make me “better than I am.” Though I don’t remember someone ever advising me to save these items, I’ve learned over the years that many other colleagues have such a memento collection as well.
Recently, after a particularly challenging day in clinic, including having to share some very sobering news about a likely terminal diagnosis with one patient and having another patient and her son expressing their anger to me regarding something that I had no control over, I was feeling in need of an uplift. In response, I opened that drawer and allowed some of the notes and pictures to speak love and encouragement to me from across the miles and years.
One of notes was from a dear friend and colleague, Elizabeth Vogel, PhD, with whom I worked from 2006-2009 as we created the Carilion Office of Professional Development and whose life ended very suddenly, and senselessly. Elizabeth was one of those people whose inner light shone brightly, and her encouragement inspired the foundation for much of the work I am doing today. The quote above was one of her favorites, and we often spoke of those people, whom she called her “Angels,” who had positively impacted our lives with their ability to see something in us that we couldn’t yet see in ourselves. Though I didn’t tell her often enough, she was such a person for me.
One of Elizabeth’s legacies was the inspiration she helped provide for what is now the PeerRxMed process. She and I spoke often of the challenges of working in healthcare and of how very isolating it can be, both by choice and by design. She often stated what has now become the obvious for me – that it is “crazy” for anyone try and navigate this professional journey on their own. In doing so, she helped plant the seeds for the PeerRx vision that “No one should care alone.”
All of which has left me thinking about other “Angels” in my life, past and present, and wondering about yours as well. When was the last time we’ve thanked them for how they have positively impacted our lives? In this season of Thanks-giving, perhaps we can all take a moment to express our gratitude to and for them – by texting, calling, or writing them, or for those no longer with us, pausing to express a prayer of gratitude. For me, that would include my PeerRxMed partners, who weekly fan the flames of my life with their presence and their encouragement.
Now more than ever we all need to show up as the “better versions” of ourselves, and there’s no way that’s going to happen on our own. Fortunately, we all have “Angels” in our midst. That’s something worth celebrating with Thanks-Giving every day ….