One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”

Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

ATTITUDE

Somewhere around the last week of July in 2006 we had a seminar by Dr. Rajan Sankaran, he is this awesome doctor I had only heard about,though had attended a seminar by him during my student life. I had also seen him a few times in the OPD. His OPD always would start at 8.30 am, the first time I had seen, only sir n Rishi- the housie were there. Now it is packed with interns. Well neways the entire auditorium was packed, the talk was good. He told us many things, apart from just homoeopathy and medicine, words which roused our enthusiasm, enthusiasm for knowledge…to learn…to teach ourselves…. He told us this wonderful story…. He told us about how he had been to Himachal with his father once in the mountains and they went to this tea stall…he told us about how the tea stall owner washed the cups about ten times with hot water, detergent and likes and served them very well…his father told him that he is your teacher… he has found the joy to do something….. we are tourists and might never meet him again but he is doing his job with joy and with the feeling to do something beautiful….. this is how you should be in your approach to do things….. do whatever u do with lots of love….. i.e. imbibe in you the joy to do something…..
He also said I will treat my patients how I want to be treated….will I ever want “chalta hein” for myself…will I ever want my doctor to have a “chalta hein” attitude for me/ my relatives….so this is what one must remember he said to every medical student sitting in that auditorium…this doctor’ words made an ever lasting impression on our minds that July afternoon….
Have to work hard….doctor shankaran said…he worked for 20 years….no movies no holiday…no nothing…. He worked for 16 hours a day……

THE PARADOX OF OUR TIME

Is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers…..
Wider freeways, but narrower view points,
We spend more but we have less, we buy more, but enjoy less,
We have bigger houses and smaller families.
We have more conveniences, but less time….
We have more degrees, but less sense,
More knowledge, but less judgment …
More experts, yet more problems…
More medicines, but less wellness,
We drink too much, smoke too much and spend too recklessly,
We laugh too little and drive too fast…..
Get too angry, Stay up too late and get up too tired.
Read too little, watch TV too much and PRAY too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values,
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life,
We’ve added years to life, not life to years,
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour,
We’ve conquered outer space but not inner space,
We’ve done larger things, but not better things,
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul,
We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less,
We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait,
We build more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies then ever,
But we communicate less and less,
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,
big men and small character,
Steep profits and hallow relationships,
There are the two incomes, but more divorces,
Fancier houses, but broken homes,
these are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
Throwaway morality, overweight bodies and
pills that do everything from cheer, to calm and to kill.
It is the time when there is much in the show room window and
nothing in the stockroom.
Remember; spend more time with your loved ones,
because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe.
Because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side,
Remember to say “I Love You” to your partner and your loved ones,
but most of all mean it.
A kiss and embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again, give time to love, give time to speak and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
- Contributed by Dr. John Rodrigues