Dots

by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP

As I was thinking about a topic for the December issue, I recalled the famous commencement speech Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University in 2005. (For those individuals who may not recall him, he is the founder of Apple computers.) He said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something-- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever."

What Jobs was referring to in this statement was his belief that you can only recognize significant moments/interactions in your life in retrospect. Retrospect, by definition, allows us to look backward. But it also helps us to look ahead. The point is that you can't always recognize the moment when something or someone will become truly important in your life. You may come to realize this only in the future.

Part of that future is now, as we deal with the ongoing issues related to Covid. This pandemic, in fact, has changed the entire world and has challenged us in many ways. But hopefully, it has also made us look at the value of life much more positively because it has made us realize (or at least pay more attention to) the importance of family, friends, and socialization. These are the "dots" that we may previously have taken for granted, including those "dots" that have shaped some important events or choices or other aspects of our life.

One never knows what is in store for us or what the future holds. Those of us who can connect the "dots" in life will start to notice which of those dots shaped important moments and relationships in our lives. Recognizing these dots and their impact helps us see how truly lucky we are, and this recognition can guide and influence our future behavior in positive ways.

So, embrace each day as if it was the most important day of your life. Start with a kind gesture or some positive word or deed, which will boost your own enthusiasm. This contagious behavior may prompt the recipient to, in turn, pass it on forward. And don't forget to keep gratitude at the top of your daily "to do" list. Express it through some simple task like calling a friend and letting them you know the value of that friendship. Even a simple "Thank You" is a manifestation of a commitment toward those who are important to us. It also helps us understand how connected we are to others. Take a moment each day to recognize who played a key role in our lives. Who made us better? Who pushed us to be our best? Who was there when we really needed someone? Who was always "there? These are our personal holiday blessings.

It has been quite a challenging year, and I close this article with the hope that this Christmas season will show us all the good there is in life and in the relationships we have or will form. Stay well, stay positive, and remember to connect with new "dots" and reconnect with all the old "dots." With this as a plan of action, we will all emerge stronger and ready for anything that comes our way.