WHY I HATED THE 6TH GRADE

Cool By Association

I think the peer pressure thing starts in 6^th grade, just when you’re at the most awkward physical state in your life. Glasses, hair in a headband, brail (zits) on my forehead all amassed into sheer awkwardness on my part.

In the 5^th grade, I had some pretty cool friends. But then, in the 6^th grade, we were divided into a Gifted & Talented sector (GT), Honors, Regular, and the rest (not really sure what that was). Some cool friends were in regular, some in honors, and I was in GT of which we were divided into 2 groups. None of my friends were in my GT class. The only time we were mixed with “the others” was during our elective, which I chose Art.

I sat next to Amy Tyler during art class. She was in the Regular classes, but she was also in the "cool girl" group. She wore the right clothes--which was at that time, Guess Jeans and the Limited tops--and she hung around other “cool” people who didn't happen to be in our art class. So with no one else to talk to, I guess she felt it was okay to talk to me.

I had fun in that class. I wasn't much of artist, but I won 2^nd place one day for taking a leaf from one of my mother’s vines in the back, soaking it in black ink, and imprinting it on a paper. That was art.

One day Amy Tyler asked me, "Dinah, didn't I ever tell you not to wear socks with loafers?" I stared down at my feet. I was wearing my pink striped collard shirt, blue jeans, and my new white loafers from Payless with white socks in which I had folded down the ruffled cuffs I chose that outfit with care the previous night. In my opinion, it was cool, but when she asked me that, I knew that in actuality, it wasn't cool.

I was glad that she took enough interest in me to let me know about my socks with loafers faux paux. That day, I said good bye to the white socks with ruffles of my childhood and to the naivete of peer pressure.

LIFE RIGHT NOW

I've been a big complainer the longer I've been in medicine. Everyday I see more patients, more paper work, & more drug seekers. Just when I thought I had lost all joy, I received a letter from one of my patients. She had sent a letter to Human Resources and sent a copy of it to myself and her surgeon:[an excerpt]

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dinah , Dr [ ], and the CareLink program.

Due to the diligence and professionalism of Dr. Dinah I was diagnosed with lung cancer at the very earliest of stages. I would also like to say that in all of my 62 years she is one of the best doctors I have ever had. She listens . . .she also follows her intuition.

This is a patient that had lost her private insurance and had some reservations in beginning when she had to switch to our "sliding scale" for the uninsured program. Nonetheless, she has received good care.

Anyway, I saw her the other day and thanked her for writing the letter. I won't get anything monetarily for this letter or even an accolade from Human Resources, but it did give me pure joy. I'm going to frame it & hang it on the wall just to remind myself that this is why I work, why I chose this profession, & why I need to persevere. [I'm only 2 years out of residency and I'm feeling the burn of burn out!]

But more importantly, I need to be thankful and and joyful to the Lord for this job. In the sermon today, our pastor mentioned that we can be joyful at church, but sometimes, not very joyful at work. How true that has been for me! I asked for this job, I got it, , and here I am. Thank you Lord!

"A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" Proverbs 17:22 (Amplified)