Personal Milestone: I’m 40!
November 6, 2008 by dr. lam
Today I turn the tender age of 40! I celebrated with friends and family this past weekend (see photo), with my sister and my brother-in-law flying in to offer me their best wishes from New York as well as some “over the hill” balloons and a cake that read “Oh No The Big 40″ for fun.
Of course, at this juncture I pause reflectively on my life’s journey thus far. I was on a date last week and was asked, “Do you have any regrets?” I said, “No. I never have regrets.” I think the past is something we can’t change but helps guide us for a better future. I would say that I have had a lot of learning during the 40 years I have graced this planet and hope that I can become a better person every day forward.
Too often we become the sum of our accomplishments or a sum total of our past. I can look at the writings and surgeries that I have accomplished and all the patients I have been so fortunate to touch their lives and feel deep satisfaction. Yes, that is fantastic and quite an honor for me. But, more importantly, I look forward to the future and what is in store for me during life’s journey. If we look at life like a journey (as mentioned in yesterday’s blog), we can savor the ride and look forward to the next road stop coming up.
My spa director, Linda, said to me “Dr. Lam, you are 99.9% right about things.” I said, “No, perhaps in life I am only 70% right but the 30% of the time that I make a mistake, I don’t make that mistake twice or try terribly hard not to repeat that error.” I am in a constant battle to be more self aware, which I think is the most critical thing that we can do. We need to be a better person tomorrow than who we were yesterday. As I mentioned in this blog, my organization EO (Entrepreneur’s Organization), also affectionately known as “AA for Business Owners”, helps me focus on my personal and professional growth.
I am very grateful for where I am today and look forward to where I can become in coming years! I would like to thank the love of my family, the love of my staff, the love of my friends, and the love of my patients who have buoyed me all these years and will do so I hope for many years to come. I leave you with this birthday card wish I received: “My birthday wish for you is that you always have people to laugh with and be close to, things to dream about and work hard for, places you can go to rest and reflect on all that is good in the world and especially in you…and may you always know how much you are thought of and loved.”
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