Like a high wire trapeze swinging
Fearless from stand to stand
Listen to the concerns
And confidently traverse the
Possibilities till you land
Emphatically on the solution
Of your patient's problem
 
To see the problem clearly
You have to follow thoroughly
The path that led
Your patient to your door
Only then will you know
All that is facing you then and there
And with that clear understanding
Resolve to treat their problem
 
Such sleuthing cannot be done
Chained to a regiment
Dictated by seekers of profit
Or chasers of fortune
For medicine is an art
Of personal interaction
Not a brick in the building
Of a chaotic tower of confusion
Only by meticulous learning
Can a solution be found to every problem!

The political atmosphere of the day demands clarity as we enter the new year. The world in 2023 will be preoccupied with many regional and international problems. In Europe, the Russia/Ukraine war shock of 2022 reverberates. Many European countries looking to the US for answers, are disillusioned by our polarized and distrusting political parties. The ongoing chaos in Brazil is troubling at the least. And in the far-east, resource-rich China is quietly filling the economic void created by western infighting, adding more uncertainties for people of all nationalities. As though these calamities were not enough, mother nature is on her own rampage, further confounding the challenges. 

In the middle of this chaos, live millions of homeless and refugees that, due to no fault of their own, have lost everything and are looking for hope and a chance to begin anew. Yet the protectionism of many is drowning that hope. As the United Nations Secretary-General; Antonio Guterres said; "I remember the times when most borders would be open and now, we see borders closed, now people do not even have the right to be a refugee in many parts of the world."

In these times of uncertainties, psychological as well as physical hardships sicken people. Not to mention the deplorable conditions they live under. Moreover, the recent epidemics are further isolating many. The only hope for them is a visit to a healthcare provider – if there are any among them.  The challenge for us healthcare providers is to be able to treat our patients without prejudice and bias of our own.

Fortunately, our new technologies help us reach more of the needy near and far. It even allows us to care for our enemies, without jeopardizing safety. Let us all get out, communicate with more people and spread hope! It’s a resolution worth having.

There is a treehouse in our backyard
I do not know who built it
As to my recollection it was always there
I do recall a day when I smashed my thumb
Trying to hammer a nail into the floor
It got black and blue, and hurt for days
A week later, when uncle John came to visit
He fixed my treehouse and even put a new roof
My dad said it was my kingdom and that
I was the princess of the tree castle
I cried that I didn’t want to be a princess
That it was my castle, and I was the queen
But a pretty little girl should be a princess
NO! I said and my mom agreed that
It was my castle and if I wanted
To be the queen, it was OK.
 
Now many years later, when I go home
I see that my castle is in need of repair
My daughter, now three, claimed
That she wanted to be the queen
So last week, visiting my folks for X-mas
I took hammer and nails to fix the castle
And smashed my thumb again
It is black and blue now, and
The pain brings back many memories
Having a castle can be painful but fulfilling!