REFLECTIONS
A SONG IN ONE’ S HEART
Teresita Bacani-Oropilla, MD
“ Oh, what a beautiful morning, Oh, what a beautiful day I have a wonderful feeling Everything’ s going my way!“
From the musical,“ Oklahoma,” by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Although the lyrics of this song refer to sunshiny days in the Oklahoma prairies, it can also apply to the crisp cold days in winter when the breezes tend to tingle one’ s senses and make one feel alive.
The calendar has changed and the New Year 2017 is upon us! The joys and turmoil of 2016 are gone. Was it always meant to be that the cycle of life gives us a chance to periodically start all over again? We can review our past with a critical eye, pinpoint that which gave us the most satisfaction, those that made us reach our spiritual and material goals of living, no matter how trivial. Likewise, we see our pitfalls, and are able to assess whether they are important enough to remedy in order to make us feel whole.
The vista before us is a newly minted year to do as we please with resources that we have at hand. It matters not at what stage in life we are. Whether we are young or old, rich or poor, subsist in a Third World country or enjoy luxury in a modern country: we all have experiences behind us, perils to flee from, dreams to fulfill and, best of all, the drive for life to attain them.
We do however, have to have faith in a Higher Being or, in ourselves, a firm belief that everything will work out for the better in our future and for those around us. Regarding the latter, we have to take heed that“ No man is an island.“
Thus fortified, we have to be optimistic and appreciate our beautiful mornings and days. And, it definitely pays to have a song in one’ s heart.
Have a great year! Dr. Oropilla is a retired psychiatrist.
12 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE