When my kids go to the pediatrician it is a mad house while we are waiting for the doctor to come in. All three of my kids are doing the random dance. The oldest is behind the bench inspecting the lamp, the youngest is hopping from one book to another spread out on the floor and the boy is using the bean bag chair as a fort.
When the doctor comes in, they all start talking to her at once as if she had six ears and three brains all equally engaged in each of their conversations. I am not totally convinced that this isn’t the case. One by one she checks their eyes, their ears, their walks, asks questions, listens intently and seems completely at home in the din of the kid-noise.
Then comes the blessed moments when she checks their hearts. She puts the stethoscope into her ears, gently rests the chestpiece on their bodies and closes her eyes. The room goes silent. Everyone is entranced by the peace that fills the room, and I always wonder what is going on in that moment. Is she counting? What is she listening for?
Recently, we did an interview with Dr. Pam Casson, pediatrician, asking her about what being On Call in Culture meant for her. In it she explained these special moments in the office. I was at once touched but unsurprised at what she shared. In those moments, she was talking to God. Of course she was! It made so much sense. She said that she asks God for two things: to capture that child’s heart and to allow her to hear any abnormalities.
We have been talking about how when we do our work well we are blessing the world. But in these moments, Pam has discovered how to offer a double blessing to the world God has put her in. Not only is she treating or maintaining the health of her patients, but she is looking toward their spiritual health as well.
