Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT June 23rd 2023

10 Comments

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we took a close look at “Morning Ritual No. 29 From the portfolio Morning Ritual” by David Lebe, posted below.

Our prompt was: “Write about a ritual.”

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (“Leave a Reply”), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

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Please join us for our next session Monday June 26th at 6pm EDT, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

“Morning Ritual No. 29″ by David Lebe

1994 Philadelphia Museum of Art: Gift of the artist, 2016 (2016-30-115(29)). © David Lebe

10 thoughts on “Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT June 23rd 2023”

  1. Michele348's avatar Michele348

    About a ritual~~~

    I give thanks at the end of the day, as I lie in bed in the darkness, and the sounds of the day have been hushed.
    I think about the events of the day… the good and the bad, the people I have encountered, and how they have interacted with me and I with them.
    I wonder if I have made this day given to me, a day of value, one where I have made it a bit better for someone or something.
    Mostly, lying here in the darkness, I have gratitude for the bounty of gifts that have been given to me.
    I hope tomorrow I can do a better job at this thing called “life” than I did today.

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    • Andre F. Lijoi, MD's avatar Andre F. Lijoi, MD

      Michele your speaker provides a lovely image of interconnectedness that reflects the work of the photographer and the relationship between him and his subject who happens to be the focus of his love and the source of love for him. Your speaker recognizes the gift of this day and the opportunity to give of the self and how the rituals of today prepares us to “do a better job at this thing called “life” than I did today. Dress rehearsal, every day. Andre

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. Andre F. Lijoi, MD's avatar Andre F. Lijoi, MD

    Rituals

    I want you to know, doc, I appreciate so much that you show up every day and
    even more so that
    you examine me,
    you listen, you look, you touch me
    and you sit
    and then you talk about our plans for today
    what you think might help my day be better
    so today I just want to take a walk around the bed
    do you think I can try that
    we both know that I am dying and
    not going to get better
    but doing what you are supposed to do today
    gives me comfort and hope for today…

    Andre

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
      • Andre Lijoi's avatar Andre Lijoi

        I’ve been fortunate to be in a privileged place with patients and also to influence young physicians. With that privilege comes great responsibility and that is wrapped in blessing. Thank you.

        Like

  3. michele348's avatar michele348

    The perfect doctor-patient interaction. Sadly, there are many patients who have not experienced this. To those doctors who go the extra mile, we give you our sincere thanks. As patients, comfort and hope are healing anointing oils, giving the patient the will to persevere.

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    Reply
    • Andre Lijoi's avatar Andre Lijoi

      It’s easy for us to lose our direction when daunted by competing agendas and exhaustion. We must keep our patients at the center.

      Like

      Reply
  4. rehavia6's avatar rehavia6

    Write About a Ritual

    On Friday nights
    In halting Hebrew
    My father recites the ancient biblical blessing
    Over my brother and me
    I am embarrassed
    But,
    Secretly I like it.
    The one time in the week
    When my agnostic father believes in
    God

    May the Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you: the Lord turn his face toward you and grant you peace.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Jackie's avatar Jackie

    On Repeat

    Because of that perpetual lump in your throat, there was a time when you felt you needed to swallow three times after each bite of food you took in your body

    Because the medical term for “a lump in the throat” is globus pharyngeus.

    Because doctors usually don’t know the cause or how to help someone with globus pharyngeus.

    Because vocal tics can include humming, clearing the throat or yelling out a phrase.

    Because you learned about bruxism when your teeth started cracking.

    Because sometimes the body repeats itself when it is hard to speak in a way that makes you feel you were heard.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Andre's avatar Andre

      The physicality of your speaker’s “because” statements takes me back to Lebe’s photo as does the body’s way of speaking to us.
      Andre

      Like

      Reply

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