Dilemma

This tension and balance of the heart
and mind
and values
……..to take the next step

Stay – cradled in the familiar of
family, friends – high school and college
surrounded by the music and deep connections of home
……..the old demographics of divisions and diversity

Yet… there is the other coast!
A wilderness! Unknown adventure –
new air, reaching mountains, majestic redwoods
and people! – indigenous and international

The tension and balance of values and dreams
……..the pull and push of the future

Notes from the interview that inspired this poem:

He was unsure where to do his residency, with his focus on family medicine. Should he stay where he’d gone to school, close to his family and friends? This path offered familiar support during the intense three years of residency. Or should he go somewhere new, grow through discovery and adventure?

Interviewee: Anonymous, 4th Year Medical Student
Listener Poet: Elizabeth Pringle