When I heard who our Theological Centre guest would be this week I wondered what a primary care physician was going to teach us about theology - not that I doubted that he could do it but I was intrigued. He visited classes, spoke in chapel, gave an open lecture one evening, and spoke at forum today. He told us stories - about his dream, about the opening of a community clinic, about his frustrations with the medical "industry", about relationships and integration and empowerment, and about caring for people. I could have listened to him for hours. He's one of those people who's passion fills a room and it's a genuine passion, not an in your face exuberance.
One of the things that really caught my attention was one story he told of attending to a family in their time of loss - he simply stayed with them for as long as it took. Someone in my class asked where he found the time to sit with them since most doctors don't have more than a few minutes to interact with patients. What he said made complete sense in light of his philosophy of care - he had no other choice. He had built a relationship with them, he had been with them through the process leading up to that loss, and he was committed to seeing them through even if, medically, there was nothing more that he could do.
This story reminded me of the primary reason why I believe I was lead to AMBS. I want to become grounded in what I believe, my philosophy of care. I believe it is incredibly important to know what you believe at the very core because this is what you are going to act out of. Our guest this week has inspired me to reflect on that space out of which I operate. I aspire to create the type of foundation so that I will "have no other choice."
Watch your words: they become your thoughts.
Watch your thoughts: they become your actions.
Watch your actions: they become your habits.
Watch your habits: they become your destiny.
Today in forum our guest quoted these words and then said, this is only half of it. The other half is:
Be aware of your destiny, for it will form your habits.
Be aware of your habits, for they will form your actions.
Be aware of your actions, for they will form your thoughts.
And be aware of your thoughts, for they will be reflected in your words.
Words for me to reflect on and live by.
1 comment:
Thanks so much for sharing that. Gives me something to think about too...
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