FROM THE PUBLISHER
COURTESY KING ARTHUR FLOUR
I just celebrated my first wedding anniversary in September.
During our first year of marriage, my wife Carolyn and I often
referenced O. Henry’s The Gift of The Magi. Luckily, even when our best laid plans go wrong, we recognize each
other’s intentions and comment how fortunate we are to have one
another.
In the classic holiday tale, a newly married couple are genuinely
in love and they desire to give each other a secret Christmas
gift—one of true meaning. And that is the core value that I hope we can all celebrate this
holiday season. How fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful
community with caring neighbors, delicious restaurants, talented
artists, musicians, and writers, and of course, the scenic beauty of
Stratton and Southern Vermont blanketed in snow.
But, in order to do so, they sacrifice what they each love most.
She cuts and sells her beautiful hair to buy him a platinum chain
for his favorite possession (a pocket watch). Unwittingly, he sells
that same pocket watch to buy her bejeweled hair combs. Of
course, the ironic twist of the story is that they realize that they
have each sacrificed their most beloved possessions … for their
beloved.
Similarly, during our first year of marriage, Carolyn and I have
regularly put the other person’s needs first—and in so doing—
have (often to comic effect) missed the mark. Or, as my physics
professor used to say to me, “Your reasoning is impeccable, but
your answer is wrong.”
8 STRATTON MAGAZINE | STRATTON MAGAZINE.COM
As a practicing physician, I am regularly reminded, too, how critical
it is to have good health. Be sure to read Jon Wilson’s inspiring story
of overcoming adversity in “Broken” on page 54. And don’t miss
the wonderful article on page 98 about the Bart Adaptive Sports
Center—and how their compassionate volunteers support people
with special needs through an adaptive sports program. As we all
enjoy our holiday cookies, hot chocolate, and loved ones, I hope
we can also move into 2020 with a genuine desire to be altruistic,
remembering throughout how fortunate we are.
- Joshua Sherman, M.D.