Thanks

Last weekend I attended the inauguration of the State Medical Society’s new president. While I sat and listened to her thank and acknowledge all the people who had helped her in her career I started to imagine what my speech would sound like if I were standing up there in my 70’s being inaugurated. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needn’t wait that long to thank people. It’s funny the ways in which people influence you without you realizing it. For example my grandmother was one of the hardest working people I’ve ever known. I believe I owe to her the fact that I derive such satisfaction from hard work. It was she who gave me my conviction that hard work is more easily done with a smile on one’s face than with a frown. I thought I was born with it, but I got it from her. Mercifully my mom didn’t form my personality too much. She did give me my love of reading, my ability to break down overwhelming problems into manageable bits, and a knack for weighing the pros and cons in difficult decisions. She also taught me the very useful skill of memorization. Memorization was not a common didactic technique when I was in school but mom taught me how to memorize my catechism and it has served me well; the memorizing, not the catechism. I believe I get my empathy for the weak and vulnerable and my sense of outrage at injustice from my dad. He was forever bringing home injured animals and continues giving too much of himself to people he feels have greater need than himself. Sometimes I wish they’d raised me to be heartless and money grubbing. Oh well.