The Joy of Reconnecting

My heart is full after spending last week with a group of incredible doctors and human beings:  my former Harvard Medical School classmates. I was ambivalent about attending my 25th reunion (What will everyone be like? Will they still be as competitive? Will I remember anyone? Will they remember me?).  But I am very glad I went. In a strange way, I feel closer to everyone than I did when I left Boston 25 years ago. Perhaps it’s because at age 50 or thereabouts, we have mellowed and are seeing the bigger picture of what really matters: family, friends, and relationships.  As expected, many of my classmates are world renowned in their fields of medicine, science, and business, and I am truly proud of their accomplishments. What I didn’t anticipate was how easy it was to reconnect and open up to each other about our personal and professional struggles. I was very moved by how sincerely supportive everyone was. Being a physician is a calling, not merely a job, and we have all made sacrifices that only other physicians and our families completely understand. While our paths have diverged, we will always be bound by the intense experience that we shared so many years ago. I promise to keep in better touch with everyone, and I am already looking forward to the next reunion!