This time of year, it is great to see all the changes that occur over a couple of weeks. We are already one third of the way into the trimester. All the gardens are blooming with color and life. The pond is getting new residents. Although we have not gotten far into our trimester yet, we have seen lots of tiny hints at what is coming, especially with the weather reeling summer in.
This week is Homecoming, and the campus has a bit more energy. Alumni will return. Students will connect across fields of focus. Hopefully, everyone will get to meet the swans’ babies (cygnets) that have finally hatched.
Our Favorite Cygnet
I think one of the cygnets is going to be my favorite. We have named him Boppy, as he is usually somewhere off bopping along in the water. Boppy is usually found a little further away from his family group and tends to investigate areas close to shore or along the edges of the pond before heading back. For that reason, he is a recognizable little puff even among his siblings. More than once, I will be walking to class thinking “where’s Boppy today?” He is also frequently discussed among the students.
NUHS’ Garden
There have been great changes in the garden. This past weekend, the Garden Club created walkways through the planting beds. It makes it easier to walk through the area without stepping on the plants. Standing back afterward and seeing how much easier the garden feels to navigate is very satisfying. Dr. (Lorinda) Sorensen came by with some butterfly and pollinator-friendly seedlings. Shortly thereafter, we saw Monarch caterpillars. As usual, I like to reflect as the event comes to a close. We talk so much about interconnected systems in medicine; it is incredible to be able to look outside and see the exact same processes occurring right before our eyes.
I have had a heavy load lately. With classes, clinic observation hours, board prep, gardening with different community groups, sound baths, community discussions, etc., there has not been a completely empty day on my calendar in a while. What surprises me is that I am enjoying most of it! My clinic observation hours have been especially enjoyable. Practitioners approach patients differently, and each patient comes in with their own unique story. Just observing these interactions reminds me that healing is never simply about symptoms: there is always history. There is always a person living a life behind whatever brings someone to the clinic.
In addition to schoolwork, I am still participating in Community Healing Spaces. I have been holding space for sound baths and community discussions. I have also spent weekends assisting senior adults with their gardens. Honestly, those are some of my favorite experiences. There is something special about listening to an elder tell a story about the fruit tree they planted 20 years ago, or hearing why they keep planting the same herb year after year. It reminds me that wisdom does not always come from inside a classroom.
The Art of Centering
Exams this week are also going to keep me busy. About three years ago, that statement itself would have caused anxiety. However, currently I find myself finding ways to center myself when needed. Prayer. Time outdoors. Conversations with people who understand my goals and my struggles. Eating real food and stopping to eat meals, rather than eating on-the-go snacks and drinking coffee. These smaller daily habits end up guiding me through larger times. As for upcoming projects, the Garden Club is collaborating with the Library for a Plant Giveaway either later this month or early next month. It is an honor to witness someone picking up a plant and beginning the start of their own journey of creating personal relationships with growth and the stewardship of nature.
Currently, my focus is divided among exams, observations, board studies, community events and checking on Boppy’s latest adventure around the pond. It is certainly a busy season, but it is a good one.
