I had a great day yesterday. Right here in my hometown of Del Mar, we had TEDxDelMar. TED talks are videoed speeches by prominent thought leaders. They are usually 12-20 minute talks about a wide variety of topics from health, environmentalism, computers,etc. I have always enjoyed viewing these talks on the computer. Now the TED people are going out to local communities, finding interesting thought leaders and putting on local shows. The day yesterday was truly phenomenal! Interesting people, great speakers and 9 hours of mind-opening material.
Some of the talks seemed specifically geared to me. I have wanted to be a part of changing the medical paradigm for 15 years. I have felt stifled working "in the system" for over a decade. I have tried multiple jobs and worked for very good people but I have not found my place. The talks yesterday put words to my feelings. I felt validated and motivated by it all. Health was a common topic and the healthcare debacle was looming in the backround. Several speakers addressed this topic directly. Tom Munnecke and Heather Wood Ion, in particular, faced the issue head-on with a new perspective. They both enunciated the problem and solutions. Their talks were still just tip of the iceberg but their words filled me with enthusiasm and hope. They were both open to conversing after their talks were done and I awoke today determined to find my place in this very alive world.
I am motivated and downright excited to resume my quest to help people get more out of their lives. The paralysis I felt yesterday and the feeling of overwhelm that is way too often my partner are gone today. I am ready to start my journey that I have stuttered in and out of for years. Thank you TED and thank you for the speakers yesterday who shared their visions.
In Tom Munnecke's words, the world of medicine is primarily a system of transactions. Healing evolves out of a system of transformation. The two are separate and NOT intermixed(much as the medical world claims this not to be so). Transformation and healing evolve out of community, love, forgiveness, connection and time. Unfortunately, our medical system does not value healing and transformation. The system has been built and operates under the guiding principle of business. I have been trying to have both--transaction and transformation. I now realize that I am not going to sacrifice transformation to pursue transactional goals.
Heather Wood Ion spoke of "Creating an Epidemic of Health". She revealed the causes of life: connection, coherence, agency, bridging and hope. She encouraged the audience to celebrate beauty and connection. Her words came out of her experience with disaster care. I worked as part of a relief effort after Hurricane Katrina and the project was eye-opening. There were different values at play in that effort than operate in "regular" day to day medical care. She revealed 4 projects which have made these values their goals. It is possible. It can be done. We don't have to stay sick and dependent on our broken system. We can break free!! Let the medical system do what it is good at: caring for acute medical issues. For chronic care, let's build a more healing, truly transformative system that runs parallel to the medical system.
Let the games begin !!
Some of the talks seemed specifically geared to me. I have wanted to be a part of changing the medical paradigm for 15 years. I have felt stifled working "in the system" for over a decade. I have tried multiple jobs and worked for very good people but I have not found my place. The talks yesterday put words to my feelings. I felt validated and motivated by it all. Health was a common topic and the healthcare debacle was looming in the backround. Several speakers addressed this topic directly. Tom Munnecke and Heather Wood Ion, in particular, faced the issue head-on with a new perspective. They both enunciated the problem and solutions. Their talks were still just tip of the iceberg but their words filled me with enthusiasm and hope. They were both open to conversing after their talks were done and I awoke today determined to find my place in this very alive world.
I am motivated and downright excited to resume my quest to help people get more out of their lives. The paralysis I felt yesterday and the feeling of overwhelm that is way too often my partner are gone today. I am ready to start my journey that I have stuttered in and out of for years. Thank you TED and thank you for the speakers yesterday who shared their visions.
In Tom Munnecke's words, the world of medicine is primarily a system of transactions. Healing evolves out of a system of transformation. The two are separate and NOT intermixed(much as the medical world claims this not to be so). Transformation and healing evolve out of community, love, forgiveness, connection and time. Unfortunately, our medical system does not value healing and transformation. The system has been built and operates under the guiding principle of business. I have been trying to have both--transaction and transformation. I now realize that I am not going to sacrifice transformation to pursue transactional goals.
Heather Wood Ion spoke of "Creating an Epidemic of Health". She revealed the causes of life: connection, coherence, agency, bridging and hope. She encouraged the audience to celebrate beauty and connection. Her words came out of her experience with disaster care. I worked as part of a relief effort after Hurricane Katrina and the project was eye-opening. There were different values at play in that effort than operate in "regular" day to day medical care. She revealed 4 projects which have made these values their goals. It is possible. It can be done. We don't have to stay sick and dependent on our broken system. We can break free!! Let the medical system do what it is good at: caring for acute medical issues. For chronic care, let's build a more healing, truly transformative system that runs parallel to the medical system.
Let the games begin !!
Comments