Sorry…

And that was all he said before walking away from the teary-eyed family. Imagine the hope and optimism they had before the finality of the word sorry was unleashed in all its fury. It is such a short word, yet there are so many negative connotations. As he walked he unstrapped his mask and hung his head as though all of his energy deflated faster than a fat man sitting on a whoopy cushion. The family was still there though and they weren’t even paying attention to the doctor anymore. They stood there together in arms, shedding the tears they feared to let fall – and unstoppable they fell.

Stinky watched with moist eyes until he could no longer stand it. He switched off the television and realised why he so seldom watched it. Television was meant to tug on our heart strings so that we would be emotionally attached to one show or another. The usual reactions of ‘I hope that villain gets what is coming for him’ or ‘I really hope those star-crossed lovers end up together’. Stinky knew that shows did not depict what actually occurred in reality. Families aren’t so close-knit, people share love scarcely and strangers aren’t programmed to help other strangers. He thought back to the time where he watched some movie and momentarily put all his other dreams aside because he wanted to become a doctor. This was because Stinky wanted to help people like the actor he saw in the movie. Spontaneity aside, Stinky realised that spending years upon years studying to learn the art of medicine was probably not the best use of his time. He began thinking about all the wonderful people he has met so far in his journey and knew that he would not want to change a single thing.

Stinky needed some fresh air to clear his mind so he went outside for a short stroll. Sometimes walking the streets provides needed perspective on things because we tend to overlook some of the important constants in life. As he walked he noticed a man walk up to a needy homeless woman and gave her a five dollar note. Stinky smiled. He looked across the street and saw a young lady helping and old man cross the road. A few steps ahead were a group of teenagers holding up signs that read ‘Free Hugs’. Reality wasn’t as bad as the movies make it out to be! Stinky thought back to the show and made a fairly significant connection. He realised that doctors aren’t really taught to be experts at medicine but rather, they are trained to be experts in the art of healing. Healing can come in all forms be it in the form of an operation, prescription medicine or laughter. All of these can treat and in some cases even heal a person. There are even times where a simple smile or a quick hello would make a big difference. Stinky was relieved because he knew he was making a small contribution towards healing the world. So whether you are a doctor or an office worker, you too can make a difference and heal someone in need. Remember that a little goes a very long way.

Who can you heal today? Have a think about it.