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In health care, as in anything else, we must look for the lessons in our mistakes; we must learn from the broken shells.
As I sit among the trees in my backyard on a bright sunny day and contemplate the nature of this issue of SSM, I am reminded of the many changes in our lives. Depending on where you live, you may experience mild, moderate, or severe changes in your seasons and your weather. Every day, the sun rises and sets. The stars are ever changing, the winds are unpredictable, and budding trees bring forth new life. Because of the chaos and the furor of our worlds, unfortunately we often forget to slow down, take in the beauty of our world, and recognize the many gifts that are offered to us. For instance, take the beach.
In Carol Adams' My Beautiful Broken Shell, she writes of her gratefulness for the beach and the calm of the seashore, a place where she is able to "see and feel" beauty.1 Why do we go searching for perfect shells and pass by broken ones every day? Broken shells teach us to look at our imperfections honestly and inspire us because they have been tested and tried. They remind us to look inside for individual qualities, special gifts, and that which is extraordinary. What do we learn from a shell that is perfect? If we take a moment to reflect on the brokenness of each shell, of each system, of each human being, we can approach new life, new change, and new opportunities that are ready to be tested.
CHANGE IN THE HEALTH CARE SETTING
Let's take a look at the world of health care. Perfection is the goal, and anything less is not good enough. Why do we do that to ourselves? In the hospital environment, blame continually is placed on anyone except who actually is controlling the outcome. Imperfections are not tolerated, and continuous...