Footprints in our hearts

Our school community said good bye to a friend today. He was someone that everyone is happy for having known. He and his partner taught me wonderful lessons about love, about giving with everything you can, about being a friend and about living life on purpose.

During the memorial speeches made by his family, friends and co-workers, I was overwhelmed with a desire to make sure that when I pass, these beautiful things could be said about me. I know it's a bit selfish, but I hope that he would forgive me for wanting to learn from his successes and challenges.

I've learned that I need to treat everyone well. To reach out when someone asks for help and to feel comfortable reaching out myself. I need to pay attention to life. It's happening now, I should be taking advantage of it rather than whiling my hours away watching streaming TV (the studying I find acceptable though). I learned to love completely, fully and not worry about other people's prejudices.

I need to travel. I need to respect my family and encourage their respect of me. Chocolate is a perfectly acceptable way to buy friends, and it's OK to insist that people smile when they take any that I offer. One can live elegantly and fully on a modest salary. Making one's home means making it feel like home for everyone you love.

Admit when I make a mistake. Eat well but never too much. Drink well but never too much. Our time is not our own. Our friends' time is not their own either. Except lunch time.

Lunch time should never be messed with. It is a precious, recharging and essential part of everyone's day.

Footprints In Our Hearts Some people come into our lives and quickly go.

Some people move our souls to dance.

They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom.

Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.

They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts, and we are never, ever the same again.


Author Unknown


In case you're thinking that there has been a lot of talk of death, funerals and the like in here lately, you're right. It's also why I haven't been posting much lately. My thoughts have been too big to put into blog form.

Don't throw stones

We're coming up to our last week of psych. It has been a relaxing block so far. I was able to get through one week of notes in an afternoon. That never happens for me. I've spent an afternoon on 3 renal lectures.

This is when MedStudent-itis has shown up. I have gone through notes diagnosing my classmates, my family, my partner, my past partners and me. It's shocking how much mental illness there is near me.

This block has been eye opening as far as how my classmates view mental illness. It's clear that the stigma attached to it is alive an well in our ranks. I hope to continue to advocate for those with mental illness.

During our CBL session last week, I made a comment to the effect that patients who don't take their meds are much less likely to get my sympathy than those who do. I was shot down by the other members of my group. I can't remember what their argument was, I'm sure it was brilliant.

What I did think about for a while after was that I am just as guilty of not taking care of myself. Despite counselling patients and family to eat well, I still eat donuts, drink too much coffee. I haven't been to the gym in a couple of months.

I was comfortable throwing stones in this glass house of mine. And very glad I've recognized yet another prejudice I hold.