THE NEXT BIG CHALLENGE IN YOUR LIFE

I have become quite the fan of podcasts in the past year. My favorite episode - one that I keep coming back to - is a talk by David Brooks on the Aspen Ideas Podcast called, "The Second Mountain: The Next Big Challenge in Your Life."

You can watch the entire episode here:

In the podcast, Brooks first talks about the first mountain - a very self-centered and personal ascent to gain notoriety or expertise in one's field of study or job. That is a natural ascent for nearly all of us who are lucky enough to work in a field that allows for growth and skill acquisition. However, after climbing that mountain over several years, one's perspective changes. What seemed so important - personal success, fame, power - lose their luster. It is at this time, when one is in "the valley" phase after descending from one's first mountain, that true reflection can happen.

I have spent the past 11 years trying to become a successful prostate cancer researcher and oncologist. There are many who are more accomplished than me, but I have been very fortunate to successfully obtain grants, publish manuscripts, and gain some degree of respect by my peers. While I am grateful for all those things, I often ask myself what would truly make me feel fulfilled? What mountain do I want to climb next?

There is probably not one right mountain, but what I keep coming back to is that fulfillment lies in making that ascent with the right climbing party. What does that look like? It would be a group of people who put excellence first and ego second. People who want to scale the greatest heights that others view as unascendable. People who view the journey as being as important as the destination.

I often think of soccer when I think of this second mountain, and Barca is paradigmatic. The best players come to that club not to finish their careers but to really let their careers begin. For it is by playing with the best in one of the most storied clubs that one can truly take off. I think of youth players like Messi, Iniesta, or Xavi, but also players like Rakitic, Neymar, and Suarez who learned to play at the highest level imaginable. I suspect for them, the privilege of playing at Barca with such a tremendous collection of individuals has been a reward in itself. I, too, dream of this sort of transcendence when the entire team is pushing in the same direction, where each person has a part to play, and where great victories are almost a given. That is my second mountain - to continue to grow and improve while also improving those around me.

Now, I just need the courage to take that first step.

WINNING NUMBER

A37105496. That is the number my Permanent Resident, or green card, was emblazoned with when I came to the U.S. in 1984. Despite the fact that it has been 15 years since I became a citizen and no longer needed that document, I still remember that number. That is because your life is linked to your "papers" and your "alien number" if you are an immigrant - or at least an immigrant who was fortunate enough to come to the U.S. through traditional channels

I thought more about my number in recent weeks when news broke about the forceful separation of parents and children who were undocumented immigrants in the U.S. These people did not have a number like me, but they had an even greater right to be here.

My family came for educational opportunity from another first world nation - Canada. On the other hand, the families torn apart by this administration's policies were seeking refuge from abject poverty, abuse, or even death. Who is to say that they have less right to come here than someone like me who "stood in line."

I do not know the hardship and pain those families feel. When I try to imagine what it would feel like to lose my children, or even to be forcibly separated from them for a few hours or days, my heart breaks. We are all immigrants, and we can all take a stand against this injustice. Call your congressperson, vote him/her out of office if they do not fight for immigration reform and the rights of those who are undocumented, and thank your lucky stars that you or your ancestors were able to come here when they did - probably by the same means as those from Central America today - by not standing in line.

While times are surely dark, there is reason to be hopeful and to believe that change will be possible. My own brother was sworn in (finally) as a U.S. citizen last week. That is one more Texas voter! Now, I need to convince my sister, who is still a Canadian citizen despite having lived her for 34 years, to do the same before it is too late.

May we never forgot the privilege and responsibility of being an American citizen, and may those who persevere against all odds to come here to start a better life get that opportunity to do so with their families and lives intact.

Vote!