Holding Center

Get Up With Something On Your Mind!

That's the title of a short book I picked up at that ABRCMS conference in Austin, TX that I presented at this past November. I had just finished my presentation, based on my summer research and was lugging around that $256 (I got a good deal) poster - printed on thick, glossy paper - which I had, in a hurry, so poorly rolled that it had not fit back into its Kinkos plastic sleeve. Actually, it was rather un-glamorous. Kinkos had pulled one large plastic bag over the top and another over the bottom and cinched it at some middle point with a stretch of tape. The result: as I walked about with this 8 foot by 4 foot giant, I often would be tapped on the shoulder by some breathless individual holding one of the two plastic bags that had rebelliously shimmied off the poster, unbeknownst to me. So, I had "packed up" my poster and set out to take a stroll, arm in arm, with The Poster through the Exhibit Hall, which had at least 200 universities and representatives ranging from students to directors of admissions for grad schools and med schools located across the US! There were, of course, a lot of goodies.

I had attended a short seminar on networking skills earlier on with a gentleman, Howard G. Adams, and he had a little consulting booth in the Exhibit hall with all the universities and programs. He advised me to go look at a couple of universities that had M.D./Ph.D programs and then handed me this book. Since this past semester I was reading two 200-400 page novels each week for class, I can't say that I was even considering reading another book if I didn't have to - 60 pages or not.

After returning from my adventure to Texas, I had blissfully put this book away along with about 5 pounds of papers collected from various universities about their advanced degree programs and the whole pile collected dust in my room over the course of two months, resting amiably next to the guitar, which was also, unfortunately, collecting dust. It didn't occur to me that I would ever read "Get Up With Something On Your Mind!" (especially with such a title, sounding more like a command/admonishment than an encouragement) but I did. And although I sustained no groundbreaking revelations, I did appreciate the clear, wholesome approach of this family man who grew up in the South with a steady set of values imparted by his family and wrote this short read that is "designed to fortify your resolve to reach the place ahead where the road is bending and to challenge you to maintain the quest to find out for yourself just what lies around that bend."

What was the book about? It was essentially a motivational read about taking what you have, learning to use it, responding to adversity, and making the most out of what you get. A brief petit sommaire or a smattering of key points is in store in the following post.

As I gradually blend myself into that happy (er....) group of seniors embarking on their final undergraduate experiences, I find myself essentially teetering between the idealism of a kid and a grown-up as I head along that "bend in the road." I have always had an irrepressible passion to know. Learning, is what makes me come alive. Now, I must admit, although learning about how to calculate whatever one learns in multivariate calculus didn't get me very excited, I was absolutely determined to take away something of value from the class and from every other mandatory or normally non-interesting experience. Difficult or not, my mind is set on giving every activity some meaning.

It is this desire that has led me to appreciate a great deal of diverse activities to a pretty intense degree without really specializing in any one: painting, singing, violin performance, literature, traveling, learning ukelele, learning piano, learning guitar, experimenting, cooking, eating, tending plants, family, writing poetry, writing short stories, European history, interior decorating, child development and psychology, laughing, West African literature, South American literature, Chinese-American literature, learning Chinese - Arabic - Portuguese - Spanish, Greek philosophy, children's books, English poetry, opera, writing and delivering persuasive arguments, Egyptian novelists, photography, knitting, finding out the biological reason for why people behave in certain ways, and just plain existing. I enjoy everything, perhaps, too much! I was kind of all over the place and no one predict what kind of profession I would choose.

I have heard that the average person changes careers 7 times in their life, but still...was that something that I would envision myself doing? There are so many possibilities career-wise and I am becoming aware that the idealistic-kid side of me that had so confidently believed in integrating all my loves for science and literature in some way (hence, the biology and French major with an English minor turned into a biology major and French minor) is now gently subdued by a wiser idealism. It's still possible to integrate my interests - just not all in equal ways. Question: what do I now plan to do? I'm in the process over this break of trying to answer that question, and I don't have very much time to come to a conclusion. I could see myself being happy in a number of professions.

I'd be perfectly happy teaching kids (my biology background has gotten me fascinated about child development from birth to early education, depending on socioeconomic levels and levels of education of parents) and college students. School means so much to young children. I've seen data sets of the Abecedarian Project in the midwest in which children in a very low-income environment were selected and given stimulating activities by trained professionals to prepare them for school. The games, puzzles, and attention clearly made a tremendous difference in the child's willingness and drive to excel in later years.

I'd be happy being trained as a chef, running a cozy restaurant and welcoming travelers from all over. I would probably take the opportunity to write about the experiences I might hear about too. I recognize that I'm in a period of great possibilities and that its a pretty universal experience to not know for sure what is best to do. It's for that reason that having God on board as a guiding force within is a great comfort and deterrent to despair.

Ultimately, I really deeply care for people. I want to care for their physical, emotional, and even spiritual health, to whatever extent I may be able to. Perhaps its because I was raised to have a great appreciation for diverse kinds of foods, and mostly fresh foods at that, that I recently came to realize that the obesity problem ravaging the USA and manifesting itself now in the generation before mine, mine, and after mine is a very serious problem leading to a whole slew of heart, circulation, hormonal, skeletal-muscular, weakened immunity, and simply put, basic nutritional problems.

Back to that passion "to know" which is preceded by that childish element of me that always inquires "why?": I want to work on prevention and treatment for obesity (in particular, child obesity), beginning all the way back with educating mothers on nutrition in their for how to eat and care for themselves during prenatal months. Then, for young children who are obese already, work with schools to design some national initiative to get them outside and active, away from televisions and video games (improve social skills, cognitive functions, reduce attention deficit disorders). Educate from a young age in a fun way about nutrition. Educate about where food comes from, how it is processed, what it does in the body. Having a healthy lifestyle as a kid, young adult, adult, and elderly person affects how well one learns, how well one can achieve full potential, how many trips to the dentist, likelihood of getting cancer, likelihood of cardiac arrest, likelihood of having higher health insurance, and the list goes on and on. This would involve the educational system, the legislative system, the FDA, clinical professionals, and all aspects of the community that affect the future and health of American children.

Is obesity genetic? Are there irreversible changes/irreparable biological damage that happens by a certain age in a child's development if they become obese? What is the role of hormones in all of that? The problem is, while some people are now beginning to appreciate a heightened awareness of how the pleasure that is good food affects the overall health of a person, some are getting kind of...sloppy?I plan to go into any field of biomedical research with the focus on maternal and child health issues. Key word: integrate. The body is an integrated system, magnificently designed, so any study of it may reasonably be integrative as well.

I may not have a clear sense of direction as of yet, but I am developing a sense of what it means to have a holding center, that is, God. Developing a sense of life and peace has really enacted a lot of internal changes to me. Without living daily to express God and to live to Him, what is the center and meaning of human life? Getting a good education would allow one essentially to reorganize the world some more, enjoy life, have a "good family," "good job," and "good kids." But, as with most things, these focuses on family, job, and kids are bound to be riddled with joys and disappointments too! One or more are bound to cause sleepless nights, anxiety, rifts, and wishes that sometimes cannot be fulfilled. Without faith, living would probably become a monotonous trip from Point A to Point B to Point C and back to Point A, every hour of the day, 365/6 days of the year. Riding an elevator, greeting the same people, saying "Good morning, how are you?" and not having a couple of minutes to find out any more than an ambiguous "fine."The mundane routine. Not even a vacation can enliven such a life. Even vacation can be a source of frustration. Yet, even a simple routine of waking up with love in the heart for God and committing a small prayer makes such a difference in the day.

Having that type of routine has something...of life in it. Contrast that with the routine of dashing into the freezing morning shower while waiting for it to turn scalding hot. Can't say there is much life or enjoyment to even such a refreshing part of the day. That doesn't give me much peace or joy. Not even chocolate or cheese (both of which I oh-so-love) leaves me with a lasting experience, feeling, or confidence that what I am doing with my life at this very point is a part of a greater plan or purpose than a human mechanism. Enjoyment of the moment or not, limiting everything to the 100 or so years one may have on earth seems like such a short usage of all the gifts that are in the depths of man. Wealth, success, and even a desire to organize the world are all useful to shape one's character temporarily, but eternally? I know that faith is a part of me that is ever-present, ever-valuable, and has its roots in all of the varied endeavors that I undertake. So, despite uncertainty, no pressing worries. I have over a 100 years to go... :)