I went to dinner with my grandma Thursday night. She goes by Grammy and I would never call her anything else – grandmother ages her and she’s a soul too wise to ever question. During my time with her I can discuss just about anything under the sun, moon and any space between. I brought up an instance, rather an encounter with a person who tends to revolve life solely around herself. While it seems odd to me, as I revolve my world around those who surround me – Grammy shared a profound thought.
It seems simple to accept, but it was something that will never leave me. After discussing instances where I retained my patience and treated this individual with my utmost respect, whether she deserved it or not my Grammy as I will always and forever call her made the greatest point of all. What I was dealing with was someone who wasn’t better than me.
Okay, so now you’d assume I’m an elitist but no, I am certainly not. I am lucky, and even if I have faced obstacles I now know the greatest gift those who surround me have provided is the ability to remain humble. While my reality is my own perception, I believe it to be a more accurate image than most assume in their daily lives.
Grammy told me that despite the fact that I had encountered someone who wasn’t as great as I am and will be, that in my lifetime I will encounter people who are. I will know people who are better than I am. I will know people who have skills greater than those that I possess and I will meet people who I will look up to. She told me not to look down on those who don’t have the skills that I have, and specifically not to look down on those who lack my ability. God created us all to be different. You see, me and her share a very similar soul. You can chalk it up to genetics, but this here is different.
What she me taught me was to find the good, the bad, the worst, and the best in all people. While this was part of her message it wasn’t the biggest part. This all came full circle when I saw what I considered at the time – the worst, the people who aren’t inherently evil but simply don’t know better. As a physician in the future I will meet people who truly can’t help themselves. Not because they don’t want to but because they have never known how to do so.
As a promise to Grammy, and everyone I meet, and every patient in the future – I promise to understand these lessons. When I meet you, you may be worse off than me, but you may be better. The point is neither lack value, I learn from both. I am thankful for every experience and I owe it all to the woman who knows me almost as well as the woman who gave birth to me does. (love you mom)
Thursday night Grammy gave me a silver bear that one belonged to Daddy Bob. While he is not physically here, his presence is felt daily through the ones he influenced and loved most. After researching, I found bears symbolize patience, connection, confidence, nurturing and protection. I honestly cannot think of a more fitting token to hold as a representation of the man I have never met, yet have learned so much from.
I am humbled, I am thankful and I am whole because of every single person I have met and have learned from thus far. Yet, I am thankful for the people I will meet in the future. I can’t wait to help those who come next, for better or worse – there is a lesson to be found in all encounters that I am lucky to have from this moment forward.
I love you all,
Lauren
Osteopathic Odyssey 