Passion by Association

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Maud Newton's article, "A Doubter in the Holy Land" confesses an idea that embodies a concept much greater than her stories religious values. In Newton's article, she narrates her visit to Jerusalem, an ancient city considered holy by the three major abrahamic religions- Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is no wonder the city has been fought over for thousands of years...

Newton notes frequently that the historical value the lands she was on created an aura like energy that intensified even the most diminutive experiences (ie. food and sight seeing), and brought new meaning and passion to religious and reflective encounters.

Jerusalem is without a doubt a major epicenter for religion, but can we extend this experience into other facets of life?

I envision her encounter to be much like the first time I stepped into a hospital operating room. How different could it be from the videos I had seen on Youtube?

As I change from my street clothes and into the pale green garb, I step out of my life as a citizen and into the world of medical professional. Stripped of my individuality, I now become a member of a team, a team with capabilities to have profound affects on patients. Stepping out of the locker room and into the surgical wing, I am blinded by the well lit hallway. Taking my first breath, this new environment fills my mouth with a peculiar taste. Crisp, sterile, cold air rushes through my lungs sending shivers down my spine. Combatting the hairs on my arms that are now standing straight up, I step timidly onto the bar beneath the sink to release a warm stream of water onto my hands and forearms of which I begin to scrub vigorously with soap. The now heated blood rushes up my veins and into my chest radiating warm comforting pulses throughout my body with each beat of my heart. As I finish scrubbing up, I pull down my surgical mask hiding my smile, leaving only my eyes to identify my excitement. Opening the operating room door, I step inside, an experience I assume much like Neil Armstrong's experience first walking on the moon. I am surrounded by many peculiar things, and as Newton states, "even the mundane became extraordinary". For me, being in the "surgical land" deeply intensified my passion for medicine.

These experiences are absolutely life changing and depending on your interests could impact the rest of your life.

Here is a list of places I imagine different professions "holy lands" to be:

Aspiring Evolutionary Biologists: The Galapagos Islands
Aspiring Particle Physicists: CERN
Aspiring Actors: Broadway
Aspiring Astronauts: A Shuttle Launch
Aspiring Professional Athletes: Their First Sports Game

This list could go on forever, which is great, because it is these experiences that allow people to either develop and explore their beliefs in greater depth, or in other cases ignite the passion and inspire people to reach for their dreams (and maybe sometimes even both!).