Here’s to the Lightworkers!

“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

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about people who have spoken into my life and helped make me “better than I am.”  I call them my “Lightworkers.”  This was likely catalyzed by the wonderful memories I’ve had while cleaning out my medical office of 20 years to make room for one of my newly arrived colleagues (a “good problem” to have).  Going through files, articles, old talks, and notes from patients, students, residents, and colleagues was like a month-long episode of the old television program “This Is Your Life.” 

For those unfamiliar with that program, in each episode the host would surprise a guest (usually a celebrity of some sort) and then take them through a retrospective of their lives in front of an audience, including appearances by colleagues, friends, and family.  Though I would in no way claim celebrity status, I felt like one amid 2 decades of nostalgia. 

One of the files I found was material that I had saved 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 tragically, suddenly, and senselessly.  Elizabeth had a way of being able to “encourage me out of anything” that was magical, almost as if she was a “Mark whisperer.”  The quote above was one of her favorite quotes, and we often spoke of those people who had positively touched our lives at various stages of our development and who helped makes us the people we were.  This importantly included those times when we felt particularly lost, confused, and/or alone.  Though I didn’t tell her often enough, she was one of those people for me. 

There have been and continue to be so many others for me, including my PeerRx buddies.  Today I celebrate each of you participating in the PeerRx program.  For your buddy, you are a Lightworker, so please keep fanning that flame and helping to make them better than they are alone.  And encourage others to join the PeerRx movement.  Now more than ever we all need to show up as the “best versions” of ourselves, and there’s no way that’s going to happen on our own.