Therapy

You know, sometime life gets you down. Maybe I've been reading the global news too much. All the craziness in the world:

• The economy here, and how my patients have to pay through their noses for their medications.
• The war in the Afghanistan. Or the fighting between Israel and Palestine.
• The racial discrimination in Malaysia.
• The senseless killings in Mexico.
• The accident victims in Indonesia.
• The starving families living in poverty.
• Some of my patients to whom I have gotten quite attached: Mr. H who is dying of lung cancer. Mrs. Y, an elderly dear who tries not to cry everything she comes in to my clinic accompanying her husband who is withering away from Alzheimer's. Mrs. L who had that miscarriage.

Why can't we all just get along? Never mind skin color, race, religion, language? Just, get along?

Sometimes, you pause to catch your breath. You sigh and take a deep breath, except you can't ever inhale enough. You feel the burdens of the world on your shoulders. You feel helpless at all the hate and suffering going around. And you ask God, whether to you it's Yahweh, or Buddha, Allah, or simply The Guy Above: Why? What is the meaning of life? To suffer and learn?

And then, you look at the face of a child. Your child. You see her almond eyes. Her hair. You smell her skin as you hold her. And then, the miracle happens: She smiles at you. And just like that, all the troubles of the world, whether it's depressing news you just read on CNN.com from half a world away, or 10 miles away in the office, just melts away.

If you are a parent, you know what I'm talking about. If you are not yet one, then this is just nonsensical babble that until 4 months ago I would never have understood. You thank God for the miracle of life that He has brought to you.