Takeaway
Take time to rest and follow your inner compass so you can care for others without losing yourself.
Creative arts in medicine | April 15, 2026 | 1 min read
By Frank Clark, MD, Prisma Health-Upstate, South Carolina
Personal invitation
This is your space . . .
to feel the life beneath your feet
to hear the red robin whistle
to smell the aroma of spring
to see the blueberry harvest to taste the water that renews
This is your time . . .
to be in tune with self
to love with abundance
to mourn with no regrets
to dream with intention
to pray with God’s purpose
This is your stage . . .
to exhale when the toil stings
to create and not compare
to plant hope while suffering
to fall but rise with courage
to dance with God, rain or shine
We healthcare professionals cherish our therapeutic alliance with patients, and attempt to meet them where they are in their season of suffering and encourage and support them on their journey. However, we often struggle to extend that same invitation to ourselves—the pervasive Achilles heel among healers.
My poem invites the reader to engage and explore what it means to seek peace and solitude in the busyness of our lives. It reminds us to kindly attend to the rhythm of our beings that cherishes homeostasis.
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.