Dignity

Dignity - from the latin word dignus meaning "worthy."

Is dignity something that people have that we are supposed to recognize in them? Or is it something that we bestow upon one another regardless of their race, age, socioeconomic class, etc?

We talk about dignity as this thing that you are supposed to have for yourself. And sometimes because of the way that you behave and/or the status that you have, people might treat you with it. But essentially this means that you kind-of have to be on the top of your emotional, positively self-visuallizing game to "have" dignity.

Let's say you have had a fever and been vomiting all day, or you have been up for three days with your child, or you are having a tumor removed after a few months of chemotherapy, or a tsunami just destroyed your entire city. Just saying - in the midst of these trying situations we do not exude anything resembling some kind of intrinsic dignity.

This is one of the things I love about being part of the health care world (human race, dare I say?). No matter who you are, or what you have accomplished with your life or how long you have been overlooked on the street corner and no mater what kind of train wreck you are experiencing right now - Sometimes you just can not muster up much dignity for yourself. A comfortable bed, a bite to eat, a new leg, reconstructive surgery, a room where no one can see you falling to pieces over the news you just received.  Regardless of status, rank, salary or just how sure of yourself you are feeling that day, it is our privilege to bestow dignity.

Around the Dinner Table

The best of generosity inspires future generosity - not the repayment of generosity.

Five Qualities (open for critique)

Family – Love, humor, responsibility. I am the oldest of six siblings. I am a husband and a brother-in-law. I am a classmate, a teammate, and a roommate. I have many good friends and I am a good friend to many. I attended birthdays, weddings, commencements, graduations, funerals, and cookouts. I actively instill an almost tangible quality into every relationship in which I engage to the point that walking into class feels like a family reunion.

Athleticism – Energy, creativity, team building. I have participated in athletic activities since I was a child. I believe in physical fitness for training the build up and release of energy in both athletic and professional activities. I love to employ improvisation in group sports like soccer, and also to create new games to allow a playful free thinking approach to challenges. Team sports cultivate communication and interdependence that translates easily to a professional and/or academic setting where we must rely on and support our peers.

Ingenuity – Courage, dedication, initiative. I have a knack for appreciating the mission of an organization and finding ways to improve it. In the Religious Studies department at UVA, I founded a peer mentorship program to help make newcomers feel more included and well oriented. At Rosetta Stone I developed new sales techniques. Growing up on a farm, I planted potatoes in old tire treads to increase warmth and retention of nutrients.

Stamina – Vigilance, perseverance, faith. From supporting myself through college, to riding my bicycle everywhere I go, to working three part time jobs at once, to entering long distance foot races - I take on more than seems possible and exhibit stamina in finishing what I start no matter how tough it gets.

Inspiration – Hope. I discover inspiration in many places – the pages of National Geographic Magazine, watching Olympic athletes, listening to a pediatrician give wellness advice to his patients. Many people continue to put hope, faith and love into me because I have a tremendous capacity to receive inspiration and use it to make their world a little better. In return, I seek through both example and guidance to inspire those around me by supporting my peers and kindling the fire in rising generations.