There are pauses in life
that stretch like thin threads
between two cliffs
fragile, invisible,
yet holding everything that matters.

In those long silences
when the air thickens
and the mind becomes
a loud companion,
I wonder
are these pauses gifts of grace,
spaces to gather courage,
a chance to map the next step forward?

Or are they doorways through which
fear seeps in
and takes its seat inside my chest?

The world rushes on, demanding answers
before the question
has even settled in my heart,
results before thinking,
certainties …

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They tell me the physician’s art lies in the stitching of skin,
the analysis of shadows on X-rays,
and interpreting numbers in a medical chart.
Yes, there is skill involved.
a steady hand, a quick eye,
and a good memory for pathways and procedures.

But I wonder.
where, in the span of 20-25 minutes,
is the art that cannot be quantified
or coded?

It’s found in the stillness of listening,
in the weight of one person’s story
resting in another’s hands.

A doctor …

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I come to you with stories
I cannot name.
They press against my chest
waiting for a moment when
it feels safe
for them to be set free.

Pain is a language
I find difficult to speak aloud,
and the silence between us
feels like a waiting room
that will never empty,
pressing in on me,
catching my breath.

Two strangers,
white walls between us,
your eyes move toward the clock,
while mine look at my folded hands
resting in my lap.

I wonder
am I just a time …

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The door closes with a soft click, sealing me inside a room that smells of alcohol and cotton swabs. The light is too bright, pouring down from overhead panels that have withstood the test of time. The entire room is bathed in a white-wash of light, leaving no shadows, except those that lie within me. A token landscape or two adorn the antiseptic walls, attempting to distract me from the …

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Silence is a prison that locks away the truth,
hiding it in the shadows of life.

Words yearn to be spoken,
but are instead swallowed whole.
It’s a safer alternative
than facing an empty void.

Your gaze is directed elsewhere,
avoiding the person who sits
before you … one who is waiting for
compassion that never arrives.

So, the spaces between words
grow longer and
the disconnect becomes stronger.

Words exchanged fall flat,
drowned out by the ticking clock
and the clicking of a keyboard
as …

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As I navigate this world, I often feel overwhelmed by its harshness, making peace and harmony seem elusive.

Today, the atmosphere feels particularly heavy with distrust and anger, leaving me caught in a constant “me” versus “you” mindset. At times, it feels as though a corrosive glue has enveloped the workings of my heart, preventing me from experiencing emotions and diminishing my willingness to seek the truth or ensure my story …

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I know you are wounded, as I am also injured.

It is as if we have been battered and bruised and kicked to the side of the road, left there alone to suffer. An ignored problem will soon be forgotten; at least, that is their contention.

We have screamed out our maladies and concerns to those in closed, cold rooms, those with mechanical minds that churn out debits and credits but cannot …

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Health care in the United States is in a state of turmoil. Many Americans are struggling to pay for health care. Even if they have health insurance, many have to pay high out-of-pocket copayments and, in the end, feel that what they do pay for is not worth the cost.

As a result of the COVID pandemic, many health care workers faced mounting mental health crises from burnout, physical and mental …

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The face of health care in today’s world is unfamiliar to me in many ways. When I was growing up, the family doctor was a well-known and respected member of the community. Patients trusted their doctor to help them navigate life’s challenges – the loss of a loved one, a cancer diagnosis, a complicated pregnancy, or depression caused by life’s stresses.

The physician knew their patients, and the patients knew them …

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Have you noticed that when you try to make an appointment with your primary care physician, you have to wait much longer these days to be seen? And when you do finally walk into the exam room for the appointment, it seems the countdown clock is already in motion. Have you also noticed that the face you last saw opposite you for your previous check-up is not necessarily the same …

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