My one hour and twenty minute commute has created something that was unexpected: A time for reflection and learning. After completing grad school, I had failed to even consider opening up a book, in fact I usually found reading to be a profound waste of time… how profoundly wrong could one man possibly be? I have found a joy in reading through listening, now I walk into the library and I get so excited by all the wisdom that I find I start grabbing books and getting so excited I get lost. Last time I walked down there I had Layla on my chest. I had to ask for a bag! Needless to say it was a long walk home. I am trying to think of the first book I listened to that made the change. I think it started with Tuesdays with Morrie. I remember making that hook turn into Salinas with tears in my eyes. Also I found a new meaning and excitement in life. Often the thoughts would transform and change my perspective on the upcoming day. I started formulating thoughts and ideas, I discarded mind numbing radio ads, and negative news feeds and began listening to things that have had a dramatic effect on my life. I was trying to think of all the books that I have “read” in a year and realized I was losing track. But my last count had me at almost 30 books. I have realized that my outlook on the world has been profoundly enhanced and changed sitting in my car. I just finished one of those great reads titled “The monk who sold his Ferrari” by Robin Sharma. Now I am reading Al Gore’s Assault on Reason and a Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking. Talk about a morning mind trip….

Maybe it is funny to think that I am becoming a self help book guru of sorts. But I find that these books interspersed with books about history, philosophy, politics and humor makes me a much more balanced person. Since reading the Monk who sold his Ferrari, I have started eating better, working out again religiously, taking time to take walks, and I now wear an elastic band on my wrist… I will have to save this explanation for later. I have also found that this has made me a much more effective medical provider. The end result is a path to the person I had lost that I never knew was gone. It started shortly after birth I think. When I look at Layla I look at the person I could be. It is hard to believe I have found this in the smile of an infant. Maybe that is the place we should all look. The fearless face of a loving child. This experience was summed up in a quote I would like to mention here: “Your children are not your children; they are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself” The Profit Kahlil Gibran…..