THANKSGIVING

We have had some memorable Thanksgivings over the years - none more so than 2019 when we lost power on Thanksgiving Day and spent the majority of the day at work! This year's Thanksgiving when we traveled to Madison, Wisconsin to meet Kathleen's family was fortunately less eventful, but it was no less memorable.

I had not been back to Madison since 2006 when we interviewed for jobs there at the end of my fellowship. I believe I made three trips there, and it was at the top of our list of destinations for our first faculty positions. One thing that turned me off then was the size of the city and the small town feel. In reality, Madison was and still is the second largest city in Wisconsin with a vibrant cultural and academic feel. At that time with just one infant chid in tow, we were looking for something bigger and ended up in Portland.

That is why it was so pleasant to visit Madison again at this stage in my life after having left Portland for Ann Arbor in part because of all the problems that come with big city living. We stayed in downtown with easy access to shops and the campus, which was lovely. In many ways, Madison felt like Ann Arbor with a liberal - but sensible - populace and a university vibe. The kids and Kathleen got to see their cousins, which made for a fun weekend of games and even a visit to an escape room!

Despite the Chicago traffic and snow on the roads on the way home, it was a thoroughly enjoyable trip. Here's to coming full circle and appreciating what was in front of you all along!

ENJOY THE SHOW(CASE)!

Last weekend, I traveled with Cate and her Michigan Tigers soccer team to the Round Rock Showcase soccer tournament - part of the nationwide "National League" of top teams throughout the country.

Without question, this was the farthest we had ever traveled for a soccer tournament, but it was worth the trip. The girls had a great time bonding and hanging out, and the tournament also allowed me to see family and friends. Oh, and there was also some great soccer!

We won the first game 4-0. The second game ended in a 0-0 draw. The girls closed out strong with a 4-1 win in their final game. Right now, they are top of their group, and another tournament in Orlando in January awaits. Sadly, Kathleen - not I - will be taking Cate to that tournament, but I will be rooting from afar! Go Cate! Go Tigers!

BREATHE

Each day when I wake up, I do a series of mindfulness meditation breathing exercises. Mindfulness meditation has become more popular in recent years, and there are clear health benefits for this practice on blood pressure, chronic pain, and mental health. For me, these exercises are a way to settle my mind and help me start the day off right. 

I also find that listening to podcasts is another way to focus on one thing deeply and block the distractions. Each day, I take in podcasts during my exercise routine, and those moments are among the most clarifying of the day.

These periods of tranquility are simple and do not require anything more than time and focus. Whatever your practice is, I hope that you have found ways to block out the noise and focus on the present moment. There is still so much that is worthy of appreciation, if only we allow ourselves to breathe and see it.

THE ONGOING STORM

The COVID pandemic continues to drag on, and we are now experiencing our fourth surge in Michigan. It would be an understatement to say that we are all exhausted and ready for this to be over, and yet we find a way to soldier on with our boosters, our hand sanitizer, and our masks.

I thought today about the world we find ourselves in and the lives we are leading. I was reminded of a message I received last year from the wife of a dear former patient who had passed away. She wrote, "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. Life is about learning to dance in the rain. We danced in the rain!"

As the storm surges, let us not forget to dance when we can and to enjoy the sun breaks when they come out. There are plenty of those moments, if only we allow ourselves to see them and appreciate them! Be safe, and I hope you find some joy today!

BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU?

Every era seems to have a writer who captures the times better than her peers. For this era, that writer is Sally Rooney. I enjoyed her first two books, "Conversations with Friends" and "Normal People," but her latest book, "Beautiful World, Where are You" is by far her best.

Characters with depth and familiarity is what makes Rooney's books so compelling, and the characters in "Beautiful World" are no exception. We are introduced early on to Alice, a  newly celebrated writer holed up in a vacation rental in a town in rural Ireland - a writer who seems to have a lot in common with Rooney, herself. Alice becomes involved with a "townie" name Felix who comes from a very different background and station in life. Despite their differences, they develop a strong bond that Rooney makes feel quite natural.

Eileen, Alice's best friend, who is a down on her luck employee of a literary magazine and Simon, the man after whom Eileen pines, round out the novel. Their storyline is even more compelling, and I felt myself instantly drawn to both of them.

Perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay this book and Rooney is that I thought a lot about my own life, my own friends, and my own choices after finishing this book. I have spent much of my life thinking that I was alone and that no one was like me. However, looking back at various stages in life - high school, college, etc -, there were countless people I could have connected with if only I had given them a chance or seen past my preconceived notions and prejudices. We have only one life to live, but books like Rooney's teach us about our mistakes and how we can do better next time in the time we have left in life. What more can you ask from a book?

GO BLUE!

Ann Arbor does not have any professional sports teams, but that has not stopped us from remaining avid sports fans. Fortunately, the University of Michigan (U of M) has world class teams in a number of sports that we enjoy.

Of course, our favorite sport is soccer, and we have become quite the fans of the U of M Women's soccer team. Our first year here, we attended many of the home matches, but COVID put a big damper on our ability to watch games last year. Therefore, we were super excited to attend our first game of the season last weekend.

U of M faced Penn State in the Big Ten Championship quarterfinal, and the Wolverines dominated from start to finish. Fun was had by all - except Penn State -, and the win catapulted us into the seminfinals, which we won against Purdue.

Yesterday, Nicholas and I watched the Championship match against number one seeded Rutgers. Fortunately, our team got an early goal and hung on to win 1-0!

The NCAA Tournament is next, and U of M will host a first round match. Hopefully, this will not conflict with our schedules, and we will be able to see our team make their way to the next round. Go Blue!

MANDOLIN

Growing up, I never had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. However, that has not stopped me from learning music as an adult. For the past 11 years, Nicholas has been a student of the mandolin. I have been fortunate to take lessons with him, and I began to seriously study the mandolin about five years ago - first in Portland and here in Ann Arbor for the past two years.

Nicholas' talent and ability to understand and interpret music is quite amazing. However, I have been making progress and find it easier to keep up with him when we practice together or do our lesson with our teacher. In some ways, mandolin is an escape - 30 minutes each week when I try to focus on the song at hand and block everything else out. Some weeks that is easier than others, but I nearly always come out of our lessons feeling refreshed with a sense of purpose and accomplishment - not because I played perfectly, but rather because I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried!

I hope Nicholas and I continue mandolin for years to come. Maybe one day I will become an expert. Even if I don not, you can bet that I will try my best and have a lot of fun along the way!

BAD THINGS DO HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

This title is taken from a recent podcast from the Apsen Institute with the author and theology professor Kate Bowler. She was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer in her thirties, which caused her to reflect on her own life. That thoughtful reflection was captured in her book, "Everything Happens for a Reason (And Other Lives I've Loved)." As an oncologist, parent, spouse, and parent, I found her words and personal story to be truly remarkable, and she presented a vision of life as a gift -  a vision that I constantly try to remember.

One simple thing I take from Ms. Bowler's writing and her words is that she wants us to be grateful for the things we will miss - when they go away - before they have actually gone. I wish that for all of us.

FULL CIRCLE

This weekend, Kate, one of my best friends from growing up, came to visit Ann Arbor with her daughter Lucy. It is hard to believe that we were Cate's age in seventh grade when Kate and I first met and became friends 35 years ago. 

A lot has happened since then - marriage, kids, careers, and moves. In so many ways though, my friendship with Kate over the years has been a mile marker for my life and how it continues to change.

 Our friendship causes me to reflect on the young teen, the college student, the medical student, the resident, the fellow, the attending and the single person, engaged person, and married person I came to be at various stages in my life.

For some, life is traveled in a straight line. However, my life has been an arc with ups and downs and tragedy and triumph. It is easy to lose sight of that boundless trajectory when one is trapped in a narrow world view focused solely on the day's or the time's present challenges. 

It is helpful to have people in our lives who remind us how far we have travelled and who we were before life shaped and re-shaped us time and time again. I hope you have people like that in your life - your friends, your spouse, or maybe your kids. We are the truly sum of our experiences with them. If we are lucky, we will continue to make memories and history with them as our lives come full circle, and we will never forget how fortunate we are to have them in our lives.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2021!

Yesterday was Halloween, which finally felt like a normal holiday. Yes, there were young children - presumable unvaccinated - in masks, but many kids, including our own, went out like a normal Halloween.

Nicholas was a Portland sports fan - just like he is everyday...

Thanks to the supply chain delays, Cate reprised her mad scientist look from 2019. Here she is with her best buds from across the street.

She looked smashing! Not only that, she returned with a heavy pillowcase of treats - perhaps her biggest haul ever.

Here's to some normalcy!