"Good morning Doc. How you doing?"
"I'm well, and how are you?"
"Ok, but I could use some medical advice."
Doc, is a recently retired medical doctor and EVMS professor, who most days, like today, when I am vigorously swimming, is quietly sitting in a lounge chair soaking up the sun. We both have finished and are in the locker room.
"What's going on?"
"Today, whenIwasswimmingInoticedapaininmychest". "SLOW DOWN, I can't understand you. Slow down, relax."
My southern voice doesn't seem to me to be fast. But he being of Eastern decent, I presume may have been meditating for the past hours and is now on low speed, he slowly repeats, "Slow ...down, ...tell ..me...what...is...going...on."
"Well, when I was swimming I got a pain in my chest, when I stopped it went away but came back when I started again."
He asked several questions. When? Where? How painful? Then carefully listened to my pulse in two areas simultaneously.
"Jim, slow down and listen to me. Listen very carefully. Listen. Are you listening? You have an irregular heart beat (followed by technical medical terms I don't remember). I recommend you get an EKG right away, today. Are you listening to me, I said today. Listen to what I am telling you. Call your doctor and tell him your story, but exaggerate it a little. Tell him you want a EKG today. But please don't tell him you got the idea from me in the locker room."
"Yes Sir, I'm listening, I will."
He is on point. I'm not a good listener. I was taught how to speak correctly, but not how to listen correctly.
Reflecting later, I vowed to follow his wise advice in 2016. "Slow down and listen."
Lord, help me keep this pledge. Help me to slow down and listen. To listen to you, to listen to my neighbor, to listen to my inner self. To ask more questions, and make fewer pronouncements. To subordinate my ego’s desire of control, to your will for me to listen and love.
Jim Bickford
"I'm well, and how are you?"
"Ok, but I could use some medical advice."
Doc, is a recently retired medical doctor and EVMS professor, who most days, like today, when I am vigorously swimming, is quietly sitting in a lounge chair soaking up the sun. We both have finished and are in the locker room.
"What's going on?"
"Today, whenIwasswimmingInoticedapaininmychest". "SLOW DOWN, I can't understand you. Slow down, relax."
My southern voice doesn't seem to me to be fast. But he being of Eastern decent, I presume may have been meditating for the past hours and is now on low speed, he slowly repeats, "Slow ...down, ...tell ..me...what...is...going...on."
"Well, when I was swimming I got a pain in my chest, when I stopped it went away but came back when I started again."
He asked several questions. When? Where? How painful? Then carefully listened to my pulse in two areas simultaneously.
"Jim, slow down and listen to me. Listen very carefully. Listen. Are you listening? You have an irregular heart beat (followed by technical medical terms I don't remember). I recommend you get an EKG right away, today. Are you listening to me, I said today. Listen to what I am telling you. Call your doctor and tell him your story, but exaggerate it a little. Tell him you want a EKG today. But please don't tell him you got the idea from me in the locker room."
"Yes Sir, I'm listening, I will."
He is on point. I'm not a good listener. I was taught how to speak correctly, but not how to listen correctly.
Reflecting later, I vowed to follow his wise advice in 2016. "Slow down and listen."
Lord, help me keep this pledge. Help me to slow down and listen. To listen to you, to listen to my neighbor, to listen to my inner self. To ask more questions, and make fewer pronouncements. To subordinate my ego’s desire of control, to your will for me to listen and love.
I want to become a slowed down listener. Amen.
Jim Bickford
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