It occurred to me that being open to all possibilities in a difficult situation is a fair way of processing the situation.
I happened to hear about the disturbing experience of a trainee whose supervisor could not offer such an overview while giving a final grade. The opinion seemed one sided without taking into consideration different adverse factors which the trainee had to overcome.
I remember an instance when my examiners viewed my performance from different angles, when I faltered in one performance task during a two day examination process for my post graduate qualification in child health. The examiners offered additional tasks for me to perform and prolonged the viva covering a wide range of situations to appraise themselves of my competency. I felt protected by their openness to explore my abilities rather than give disproportionate weightage to an inadvertent slip! This experience in 1979 was an instructional experience because the examiners called me back at the end of the formal examination to know about my background and areas of interest. I had completed my post graduate training in public health earlier and was moving to child health speciality. They wanted to know the reason leading me to change my training path. When they heard that a Measles epidemic brought many children to the hospital with multiple complications, during which time I was moved to train in child health, the examiners stood up to greet me and wished me well in my clinical journey.
Later when I appeared for the practical examination of the National Board of examinations in Maternal and Child health in 1984, the examiners were curious to know the reason for another change in my direction. The mandatory research I was required to do to submit a desertion for my post graduate training in child health was on monitoring the blood ph of new borns at birth, to know the state of anoxia at birth. While attending to about 600 child births, I happened to discover the several maternal diseases complicating foetal development and birth related stress to the new born. I felt moved to know more about maternal health as a determinant of foetal health, which led me to pursue further training in Maternal and child health. The examiners offered their good wishes and compliments for my motivation. I have vivid memories of such special occasions in my life, when I received generosity of thought and goodwill from strangers!
I confess that I have not been consistent in my desire to be open to all possibilities while assessing difficult situations. I have regrets about a few situations in the recent years, when I could not be all rounded in my view and opinion.
Seeing the Lily in our garden with its flowers open in four different directions, brought back this call in life! To remain so open that one can view every difficult situation from different angles to make a sober and fair decision!
The trainee that I referred to, who did not get the favour of such an all rounded view of situation, had suffered a loss!
We ought to be protective of others from being losers! We are to be building on what is there to bring prospects and promise for future!
The global market chaos and economic strain, arising out the decision to raise tariffs by the government of the USA in the recent months, is an example of one sided view, obliterating mutuality and reciprocity!
The more open we are, the more discerning we become!
It is a virtue in life to be open, considerate and thoughtful!
I stay amazed that I spent forty years in chid development, a speciality different from my early years of training ! I feel grateful that I was enabled to be open, to move to foster child development ! To be open to opportunities in life is a favour we receive from God, the giver of all gifts!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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