In the entire South wing of the LA Convention center, jammed packed with bodies, a teeming crowd was organized into sectioned exam rooms, per their needs. I’m writing to you at the tail end of “Pathways to Health” (PTH) in LA. There were some 4,000+ providers who gave their time and resources to many thousands of patients.

It was nice to  work with them for many reasons. The tossing of my standard business agendas was particularly refreshing. Many would have guessed, rather, the patients made it “special.” And the patients did bless me. But all my patients bless. Each person who comes to clinic or surgery, comes as an individual. One person. They are their own story, worth hearing. Worth serving. And worth receiving a blessing from.

When I go to work, I go mainly for three reasons; to serve the needs of my patients, to make a living, and to be to true to my spiritual mission. Going to PTH left two of those in my day and the other was gone, like it slipped into a parallel universe. Removing the agenda of making a living is disruptive, almost to point of being disorienting. And that is why it stands out to me. It was experiencing what was left when it was gone, that tossed my salad.

I’ll tell you one story, …nah. Patient confidentiality and all :). There were a lot of good ones though. Keep on!

Self-care tip: Do something disruptive to your work agenda and see what is left.

Questions: What is your agenda when you go to work? What have you done to disrupt it? What did you get for yourself when you did?

Please tell us your story.