Traveler’s Caution

when you want
to meet people
where they are,
never travel
untethered;

before you go,
always remember:
stay connected
to you compass
and your center

Notes from the interview that inspired this poem:

Part of her responsibility was to help medical students with their professional identity formation and to support faculty development. As a social worker, she knew the value of human connection, listening, and centering patients and families within the healthcare system. “This is the compass that guides me, and can keep us connected to our values,” she said. “It’s easy to get sidetracked by outside forces like agendas, stakeholders, and infrastructure. Instead, we need to align the system with our values, and keep our patients and families at the center of everything we do, by staying centered ourselves.” She acknowledged this wasn’t easy. “We’re supposed to be able to set aside our needs to take care of others, but then we turn around and say we need to take care of ourselves. It’s not always possible to prioritize both of those things. But if you’re not struggling with it, you’re not in it. If you’re struggling, it means you’re connected,” she said.

Interviewee: Anonymous, Social Worker
Listener Poet: Jenny Hegland