There Are Two Sides To A Hurricane
Hurricanes are circular storms that revolve (counterclockwise) as they move in a linear direction. That means the prevailing winds are blowing southward as a hurricane makes landfall, and then northward once the eye passes and the back side passes through. This phenomenon came to me years ago while listening to a public radio report about…
Read More“And It Took Me Back To Something, I’d Lost Somehow, Somewhere Along The Way”
Last week, I began teaching my first class at the University of Texas at Dallas. I am teaching an undergraduate seminar to premedical students, a seminar on the healing power of narrative. It was a thrilling experience meeting these young, idealistic students, high achievers all, and eager to make a difference in the world. We…
Read MoreWould-be Physician, Heal Thyself
A new article from the Journal of the American Medical Association is the subject of a story on cnn.com this week Read Article Here. The story confirms that a significant percentage of medical students and medical residents suffer from depression, and goes on to discuss the contributors to this alarming statistic. This data, combined with…
Read MoreWhen You Think You Can’t Do Anything, There’s A Lot You Can Do
My son’s car was stolen from the streets of downtown Dallas about three weeks ago. He was visiting a friend, parked legally for about twenty minutes, and it was gone when he came out. His initial thought was that it was towed, and when he called, he was told that he would need to call…
Read MoreKeeping A Close Watch On This Heart Of Mine
I saw Ring of Fire, a musical life of Johnny Cash, at the Watertower Theatre click here for more information, a local small theatre near my home last night. I love live theatre, and this experience reminded me why. The actors were both talented musicians and singers, and the spare script, which consisted of a…
Read MoreMore Hope For The Future
I spent a very pleasant afternoon yesterday in Wichita Falls, Texas, where I spoke to the Pre-Health Society at Midwestern State University. I was very impressed with this group of mostly premedical students. They were attentive and asked important questions about what the proper motivations should be to enter the medical profession. We talked about…
Read MoreComing Home After A Homecoming
I’ve just returned from Iowa City, where I attended The Examined Life Conference view program here, a gathering of people who are dedicated to exploring how the arts and healthcare intersect, and to teaching the importance of this intersection to those who choose to become healthcare professionals. It was a pleasure and a privilege to…
Read MoreWhat Is It About Music?
I must admit to another emotional response that confirms my status as an impending geezer: I get a little irritated at all the people who move through life with earbuds blocking out the world in which they exist, albeit perhaps reluctantly. Although I enjoy music, I’ve never felt compelled to use it in this way,…
Read MoreUnderstanding The Inexorable March Of Time
Time, and the passage of years, can be both an ally and a formidable foe. With age comes experience and wisdom, and hopefully a comfort with oneself that would be the envy of many young adults and every teenager. But time can wreak havoc, too. Disease lurks, and when it strikes, ones ability to combat…
Read MoreAnother Challenge To The Covenant
It has been a while since I’ve written here. I’ve been on vacation, traveling and writing and relaxing, and something else happened to me that made a recent article in the New York Times Read Article Here particularly interesting to me. I was jogging on a treadmill, something I do about every two weeks because I enjoy…
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