Wonder 31

Charlie

I told Tia Berry my decision to become a doctor after I graduate.  She laughed in my face.

“You’re joking, right?” she said.

“No, I’m serious.”

“Oh, Chazzie. But the medical establishment? It’ll eat your soul!”

She went on to outlay for me the ways that traditional medicine focuses on pathology, viewing everyone as a potential client and conspiring with the pharmaceuticals to keep people stuck in sickness so that they’re dependent on prescriptions.

“It’s not what you think, Chazzie,” she continued. “It’s not about making people well.”

I thought about what she said. I’ve done some research, plus I know my tia, so her perspective wasn’t a surprise. I’m not deflated, though.

Did I describe my favorite painting that I’ve done? It’s really, really dark–a mass of blue so dark it looks almost black, like a moonless sky. And there emerging from the center is the figure of a horse, looking royal and fearless, barely visible as it moves out of that darkest midnight blue.

This is how I visualize my future. I know there will be obstacles. I know that my chosen career will have challenges, and that I’ll encounter bad motives and corruption, and all sorts of blocks to what I hope to accomplish. But suppose I don’t try. Suppose I give in and keep that horse always in the shadows, not even fully formed or developed. What happens then? Nothing changes.

I want to look right into everything that’s wrong. That’s the only way to bring change. That’s the only way that the horse moves out of the night.

My friend the gardener was more encouraging.

“Beryl tells me you want to be a doctor,” he said.

“I sure do!”

“My aunt’s a naturopath,” he said. “I think you’d like her approach. If you want, I could set up meeting with her.”

“That’d be great!” I replied. I’ve already decided that I want to focus on holistic medicine.

I had no idea that his aunt was a naturopath! I’ve noticed this thing that happens sometimes with life: a question might arise, and an answer will follow. A challenge appears, and a way through it emerges.

It’ll be fun to invite Tia Berry to my office, once I get my practice established. I’ll blow her mind! “This is medicine?” she’ll say.

I’ll just smile and reply, “Minha tia, this is healing.”

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