Gifts

On Tuesday I went to a presentation called "Gifts Our Patients Give Us." It was a timely reminder of why our jobs aren't just a job and the importance of being grateful for it. Panel members and several in the audience shared things they've learned from their patients. I kept my hand down because I had a hard time keeping a handle on my tears as it was, but I wrote down a few thoughts for later (aka now).

I am grateful for the trust that parents give me, letting me take care of their children in a vulnerable time, and that they open their lives to let me in. I'm grateful for Emma, who taught me that death isn't the worst thing, and that life is worth celebrating. I'm grateful for Taya, whose hugs and smiles always brightened my day. I'm grateful for Aidan, who made all of us laugh at 2 in the morning with his racecar noises. I'm grateful for parents who are physicians and have to learn how to be both. I'm grateful for the dad who was in the middle of a crisis and still took the time to thank me by name. And I'm grateful that I recognize how incredible it is that I get to experience this every day.