I have a little question for you:

“Who is it, or what is it that you most appreciate in life?”

Just think of that question. You don’t have to answer it immediately. Sort of let it simmer. 

You all know that I have a podcast that I talk about living an intentional life and living your best possible life now. You also know that I am a palliative care physician. My medical discipline is one that has a nurse, a social worker and a chaplain work side by side with me. 

I am also part of our Ethics department. Last October, I went to Portland for a regional Ethics Committee meeting. It was an amazing trip. I managed to see two of my nieces who live there. I also managed to catch up with a friend I have not seen since I traveled with Up With People in 1989. I also reached out to my friend who is now a professor in Heme/Onc at OHSU. The one that I told you exercised 45 minutes every day in medical school!

That is the joy of moving around the world a lot. You have friends in every corner of this world. Literally. In another post I will tell you how my family ended up staying in a private hotel in Florence that the national soccer team of Italy stays over. We had the whole building to ourselves. The co-owner was the husband of a classmate of my highschool friend from Iran I had not seen for nearly 20 years. Just a crazy serendipitous world we live in. 

While I was in Portland for the Ethics conference, there was an exceptional presenter who also happened to be a hospice chaplain. Such a powerful and poignant speaker. I remembered his words very clearly for quite a while after the event. 

So as I am recording my upcoming episodes and thinking who are all the people that I would like to invite as guests, I happened to think of him. So I sent him an email asking him if he would like to be a guest over the weekend.

Here was his response today:

“Faryal,

Thank you so much for your kind words, encouragement, and invitation to be a guest on your podcast.

You may not know, but on September 8th we lost our home and all of our possessions in the fires that ravaged southern Oregon. So I am completely discombobulated at the present time.”

Then he goes on to say he can try to be a guest in November.

How did you feel when you read that response? 

Did you feel sad, horrible, depressed, at loss for words, even angry?

I was grateful. I am happy he is not hurt. I am happy he is still alive, and that I will have a chance to speak to him once more. I really enjoyed him and his talk. I am not sure if I ever got a chance to tell him directly how touched I was by his presentation. It was remarkably good. 

I know I wrote a long post about appreciating oncology nurses last Friday. What if you made that a daily practice? Every person you came in contact with. Let them know that they are doing a great job. No matter what their job is.

My friends, life is hard. When we try to appreciate little things in our lives (cup of coffee for me in the morning as I watch the sunrise), or little gestures (telling people we work with that they are doing a great job) we may unintentionally deposit positivity in our collective mental banks that can help us get through this imperfect impermanent life. 

I cannot wait to have him on my podcast. 

He truly is a gifted speaker. Ted Talk quality. I am honored to have even known him. 

I made sure he knew that. 

Appreciate all that you have right now. Not the life you will live in a future that may never get here. But the present time. 

Everything can be gone in the blink of an eye: Our home. Our loved ones. Our health.

So much love to all of you. 

I will share with you the card that my daughter literally just handed to me as I was typing this. Live your life like that. No holiday. No birthday. No important day. Love those you appreciate and make it known. Often.