The bible speaks about two different parts of man: our physical man and our inner man, “our souls” which will live forever. When we feel worn out at times from giving, we can be encouraged knowing that it is actually Jesus’ light that is “kept on” through the preaching of the Word at our local churches. The lights we are helping to keep on assure that the Light of the World is being shared with lost, sometimes “worn-out” souls.

When Janet came down with COVID-19 in early November, she initially made progress towards recovering, and we all thought that gratefully, her case would be a mild one. Our hearts sank when a week later, she took a significant downturn and ended up in the ICU of one of the local hospitals, close to needing respiratory support. Two of our kids also tested positive for COVID-19 during this time, and I was too sick with severe non-COVID-19 bronchitis. Thus for Thanksgiving, our entire family was separated, our four kids and I quarantined from each other, and all of us wondering if Janet would make it off oxygen and out of the ICU. There were nights I couldn't and didn't want to sleep, thinking that I'd get a phone call telling me Janet was intubated, or even worse - that I'd wake up to find out Janet was already gone.

As I write this, my wife Janet is fighting COVID-19 in quarantine here at home. The rest of our family is also in quarantine per guidelines. We had a scare yesterday as Janet’s condition deteriorated over the first several days, only to self-correct in a matter of a few minutes last night. Today has been a better day, although the body aches which almost overwhelmed her previous night are coming back tonight. Last night, we almost decided to give up and go to the hospital due to her body aches and shortness of breath. We are glad we stuck it out a little longer. We hope tonight will be a little better with some adjustment of her meds.

It’s been over two weeks since the most tumultuous election I can remember in my lifetime - and many others’ lifetimes as well. There are a lot of people whose friendships are at risk because of this election. Many students and residents have shared with me their hopes, fears, and contentions with others, both felt and given. Public, sweeping polarization, and even demonization and “cancellation”, of the opposite side’s views, threaten to turn our peaceful democratic process upside down

During these troubled times, many people, including those in positions of leadership in our society, have draped themselves in a mantle of self-righteousness instead of to mindfulness. When, for example, a public figure condemns anyone for not wearing a mask in public or for not observing social distance guidelines, but then is caught flagrantly violating the things he or she was railing against, the damage is not limited to their hypocrisy. Their lack of humility has a corrosive effect on all of us, eroding trust in our leaders and turning us into cynics.

One of our field’s most inspiring individuals was a physician by the name of Dr. Francis Peabody. It’s probably safe to assume that his name is nowhere near as familiar to the general public as, say, Albert Schweitzer, Florence Nightingale, Jonas Salk (if even those are familiar to most people these days!) or, for sure, Dr. Oz. Although he did not pioneer any great medical breakthroughs or miracle cures, Francis Peabody left an indelible mark on our profession all because of a lecture he gave 94 years ago to the students at Harvard Medical School on October 21st, 1926. Right before addressing the audience, he told his wife, “I am absolutely sure that this little lecture will be remembered long after anything of a scientific nature I have written has been forgotten.” Call it a premonition or even divine inspiration but his words were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and ultimately in book form as “The Care of the Patient.” Students here at Beacon 360 are undoubtedly familiar with this book as it is not only a crucial part of our curriculum, but also in those of medical schools across the country – the reason being that Dr. Peabody’s thoughts are timeless.