Outward In

I spent many encounters this last year reminding patients to focus on their close relationships rather than be moved (or more bluntly put stressed/anxious) by the national and international "battle" over ideas. The reality is in part these battles are "created" and spurred on by a much deeper/darker frenzy to "sell" and "self promote." 

More so, when we spend our time positioning our ideas to be heard globally or at least the abyss that is social media, we are missing a fundamental reality that the lives we most impact are those around us. 

This idea is not entirely my own, most of it comes from my church and our pastor Jim at Evergreen PNW. He furthers the idea that our greatest impact occurs among our "oikos" - the 8-15 people that we genuinely share and do life with eg friends/family/coworkers/neighbors etc. 

As the national debate may have torn apart that close fabric, I hope and pray, we can look more closely and what is important to us and reexamine and find that in fact our oikos is our mission and our support group.

And may we continue to find room for those around us who may be more isolated. 


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