One Day At A Time
March 4th, 2009
I read an article in the Washington Post recently that discussed the worldly adventures of several individuals who found themselves out of work due to lay offs, downsizing or bankruptcies. Described as relatively young and successful, the article noted how they were filling their time during their days of unemployment. Paragraph after paragraph described their indulgences—-travel to locations they had not yet visited… purchases they were making… plans in process to relocate to various part of the globe to launch their next “get rich quick” financial businesses of one sort or another. Unless I missed it, not once did I see any thoughts or considerations towards pausing, taking a deep breath and reassessing their life long pursuits, desires, or dreams. Not once did I detect a sense of wanting to roll up their sleeves and help others. Not one comment about possibly volunteering at a school, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless shelter, clinic or hospital. Not one word about possible career changes from finance or investment or banking to health care or social services or teaching. Not once, did I sense any second thoughts about their prior life paths of self indulgence, financial pursuits and material possessions. The article reminded me of a prior conversation I had many many years ago—in fact I remembered that it was a pretty volatile conversation— with a very good friend —about the relative value of clinicians and care givers (physicians, nurses, and others) and teachers and educators compared to financial “types” and I remember realizing then that I lived in a different world — my world centered on people who devoted themselves and their careers to making a difference– by enriching and sometimes saving lives and certainly by helping and impacting others– one patient, one family, or one student, one day at a time.
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