O is for Opportunity

  O is for opportunity. In my life, I’ve discovered that misfortune can sometimes lead to opportunity. A sudden reversal can lead to seeing things in a new way. If  I’m willing to reflect, I can reframe the situation. When I was deciding whether to close my...

N is for New Writing

  When I say “new writing,” I mean writing generated on the spot to a prompt, like the writing that I do in generative writing workshops. In new writing, I get my stream of consciousness down onto the page. It flows, but it’s not usually good writing. It needs to...

M is for Migration

  Recently, I read a book by Javier Zamora, the memoir Solito. It’s the harrowing story of how he came to the US from El Salvador at the age of nine. His parents had already escaped from the horrors of the war, leaving Javier with his grandparents. His family...

L is for Let Go

  Let go of the outcome. It’s a paradox (kind of like writing formal poetry). I have a goal of letting go of goals. It’s a great learning process. For instance, having a son is a blessing. He is smart, funny, sensitive, mature, and caring. Did I set out with...

K is for Kindness

Thoughtful Kindness I used to precept medical trainees in Ambulatory Palliative Care clinic. Once, a Resident relayed a patient request to me. I don’t remember the details. The patient could have been asking for a medication for pain or anxiety, or they could have...

J is for Journal

  Writing Every Day The word journal comes from the Latin diurnal which means daily. I’ve already covered Dailiness under my D post, but exploring the derivation of the root -jour- brings me to enticing words. Words like adjourn (to suspend a meeting to a future...