Several years ago, fate intervened to inspired Gary LeRoy, MD, FAAFP to write a book. With the editing assistance of Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Executive Vice President Ann Spicer, he submitted the manuscript for “Quotes from the Edge of Nowhere – The Art of Noticing Unnoticed Life Wisdom” for publication later this year. Rather than wait for its fall release, he asked the OAFP staff to give Academy members something to fill up about 30 minutes of their quiet time.
It is his hope that a chapter or two will provide some element of hope or ignite an amber of inspiration during the moments of solitude of this unprecedented global crisis, COVID-19. If nothing else, it will give those who take the time to read each little chapter something to mentally reflect upon.
Until the COVID-19 crisis officially ends, the OAFP will publish one chapter each week in the Weekly Family Medicine Update and then archive that chapter on its website. The book has 10 chapters. It is Dr. LeRoy’s sincere hope that we, as a nation, emerge from this crisis long before the OAFP can publish the 10th and final chapter.
Chapter 4: “When we only speak about how we feel an event happened – this is gossip; when we report on what we think was observed – this is news; when society writes about the residual evidence of the event – this is history. The truth is that only God will ever know the reality of what actually happened.”
“When I was God, I thought I knew everything.” These nine words erupted from the edge of nowhere and collided with any conscious thought I was having at the time. I recall pausing to ponder the meaning of these words that were suddenly reverberating within my soul. Unlike the random arrival of quotes I had experienced in the past, these nine words did not reveal themselves to me as having a meaningful purpose. Despite this fact, those meaningless words continued to bang around the inner most crevices of my mind for the remainder of the day as if to dare me to acknowledge their need to be examined in greater detail. Weary of having my “inner voice” [Yes, I’m talking about that conscious little voice we have conversations with each day during our wakeful hours] dampened by the meaningless nine words, I paused at the end of my day to dissect the phrase.
“When I was God…” Well, this certainly seems like heresy. That was my first thought when this non-quote invaded my consciousness. I refused to acknowledge it and immediately attempted to dismiss its presence. There was nothing to see here so I might as well move on to the next portion of the phrase. But before I could move on my thoughts challenged me to take a journey back to a point in time where few of us return.
Enjoy reading Chapter 4.
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