Reaching our potential with compassion and caring

I have just come inside from tilling under the last of the garden on this beautiful Thanksgiving morning. The tomatoes were the last to go, with some red ones now mushy from the first frost, and the green ones full of unrealized potential. The rest of the garden — corn, squash, potatoes, beans, etc. are long tilled under. Only the wilted rhubarb leaves, asparagus fronds with their red berries, and a row of strawberries are left. We will soon be joining family and friends for a bountiful feast, but my mind is centered on this season of thanksgiving.

The orchard’s annual palette of colorful leaves now rests mainly on the ground. Their orange, yellow, red, burgundy, and brown protein structures are now evident after the green chlorophyll of the summer has been retrieved. As I have watched generations of students pass through Loma Linda University, I’ve been fascinated to watch the impact life has on their trajectories as their core values become evident, like the structure of those leaves. Some show great promise early on, but their potential is not realized for various reasons. Some choose personal ambition over being part of something bigger. Others quietly pursue their passion, impacting the world in ways few may notice but God. And a number rise to prominence in their fields, giving back as they serve in various ways.

The same can be said of institutions. Some flame out early, their initial objectives either unattainable or forgotten. Others persist with stubborn commitment to their founding goals. At Loma Linda University Health, both healthcare and higher education faced challenges this year, with the adage of “full beds and empty pockets” being evident due to increased hospital labor costs. Our university enrollment dipped slightly, following the demographic trends across the country. However, other components of Loma Linda University Health are doing well, with our research grants headed for an all-time high and our hospital bond ratings ticking up a notch even in these tight times.

My gratitude focuses on many things, including the colleagues I am privileged to work with every day. You get to know people well when you sit together each week in multiple committees discussing the latest issues. Together we face short-term challenges as well as long-term strategies. Some have obvious solutions, while others leave us pondering week after week. 

What is abundantly clear is that we face each issue with a shared spiritual understanding of destiny, coupled with an attitude of compassion and caring. This is combined with a philosophical commitment to service that guides each decision. Loma Linda University Health benefits from 117 years of struggles and victories shepherded by stalwart and inspired leaders throughout those decades. Our history brings a certainty to the future that gives short shrift to the questions and threats of the present.

I recently learned a new German word — Freudenfreude — celebrating another’s success. This is in contrast to the more common term — Schadenfreude — being happy over another’s misfortunes. I will choose to live my life in that state of appreciation for others and what they bring to this world of ours.

Sincerely,

Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH
President
Loma Linda University Health