The Chiropractic Ensign

John Wooden, the greatest collegiate basketball coach of all time, said this:

"Be quick, but don't hurry."

During my prime time adjusting hours, I must always remember this.  Keep my mind focused enough, my heart calm enough, my hands in flow enough... to do this.

Without quickness, I disrespect my patients' time.

But by hurrying, I disrespect not just their time-- but their trust and their loyalty.

You know the old saying: Familiarity breeds contempt.

As the father of a teenager, I've  noticed that nothing exemplifies this wisdom more than the way Karisa will have a favorite song on the radio today... but in two weeks or less she will have grown to hate it.

"I can't stand that song anymore!"  she'll say.

"Why?  I thought that was your favorite."

Rolling her eyes, she says, "I'm sick of it.  They play that song so much over and over and over again." 

As a chiropractor, I must safeguard myself against this type of familiarity trap every day.  Seeing patient after patient lying prone on the adjustment table and palpating spine after spine after spine may slowly transform a love of chiropractic to drudgery.  Familiarity.  Routine.  Boredom.  Any of these sets in and I am doing a diservice to all my patients.

So what is the antidote?  How do we prevent the AT40 hit song from dropping out of the charts?

Make every time the first time.

See things with "new" eyes.  Listen with "new" ears.  Touch with "new" hands.

This may be my 50th adjustment for the day, but I'll look at it like it's my first.  First ever.

This may be the 157,453rd adjustment of my career, but I'll look at it like it's my first.  First ever.

Why is it that we wait for the crisis before implementing elements of change?

Whether it be economic, political, environmental, physiological, social, psychological...

SPIRITUAL.

Why do we wait until the crisis?

Why do we wait until after the damage has been done?  Before we act!

I, myself, know the deal.  Procrastination is easy.  Comfortable like a nice long nap after Church.  I make my lists, I define my values, I study, read, think-- and sometimes I do good and I do well.  Checking things off, progressing, doing the kaizen, and all that.

But many times I fall short.

We all do, I suspect.

So how can I judge my patients?  Who am I to judge my peers?  Those I love, those I respect, don't they deserve my compassion and understanding despite the WAIT, the PUTTING OFF, the DELAY

as the crisis boils, builds pressure, and finally explodes. 

When I was at Disneyland a few years back with the family, I saw a Marine wearing a shirt with this written across the back:

PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY

This has kinda stuck with me in the back of my mind since then.  I've often reflected if this slogan, in some way, can apply to chiropractic care.  When a person experiences pain, does he or she become a stronger person because of it?  Like the Marine who abuses his or her body to become a soldier of great strength, does anyone who experiences pain automatically get to have some weakness run out the back door?

Maybe if the pain is self-inflicted for a higher purpose.

Maybe if there is perserverance despite the pain.

Maybe if the pain teaches patience.  Instills wisdom. 

But perhaps, after all, this is only just a catchy t-shirt slogan that does not really merit such contemplation.

Still, I ask, through chiropractic, can I strive to help my patients take that pain and take whatever subluxated weakness underlying the hurt may be, and work the adjustment to help transform that pain into strength?

Weaknesses into strength (because of, in spite of, through...) PAIN? 

Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk said:

"If we are not humble, we tend to demand that faith must also bring with it good health, peace of mind, good luck, success in business, popularity, world peace, and every other good thing we can imagine...  If we insist on other things as the price of our believing, we tend by that very fact to undermine our own belief."

Believe and have faith: expect the win.

Believe and have faith: accept the loss.

Humility is the key.