CALL TO ME, and I will answer you; I will tell to you things great beyond reach of your knowledge… I will heal you and reveal to you an abundance of lasting peace.

Jeremiah 33:3,6

Here’s a true story of my first career journey in a situation when I represented a pharmaceutical company to meet a certain medical practitioner. Incidentally, inside the premise of the medical office I saw something on the wall that got my attention.

A Summer’s Time

It’s a beautiful and promising Monday morning. I got up early, before sunrise after a night of good sleep, something that doesn’t happen to me often. I did my body clean, and putting on my clothes I have been wearing a lot, of a long white sleeves and brown pant paired with a fine polished and gleaming black shoes. I added a plain red necktie made of Japanese cotton. Combed my well trimmed hair and put a little oil to make them glossy and shine. Got my watch and it’s almost eight, ready to go to meet a client at ten.

I drove my car to meet Dr Mendoza, a Hospital Director of the Quezon City Medical Center (QCMC) in Cubao, Quezon City, to promote the efficacy of the product that’s tested by time, the world’s leading antacid – Maalox. While I was approaching the hospital I proceeded to the parking lot at the back of the building.

Afterwards I was going straight to the main door, and I went directly to the Director’s Office. Upon entering the workspace into his desk, I instantly paused while my eyes gazed to a very captivating photo, framed in bronze and silver mixed color projecting a vintage look, hanged on the reception’s wall just above the visitor’s long sofa. I moved closer and I saw a short printed sestina that entertained me while I was reading.

“Desiderata”, Dr Mendoza said from behind me, and I turned to him and greeted “Hi Doc”. I didn’t know how long he had been standing there. He must have been watching me while I was viewing and leafing through the line – “Go placidly amidst the noise and haste’, that heeded me since it was my first encounter of this kind. He asked if I would like to know more about ‘Desiderata’. I nodded in excitement.

“Desiderata means things that are desired or wanted. The implication is that these are desired qualities of the soul and of the heart”, he explained.

‘This poem helps you achieve the peace and joy the ethos encourages as you  learn ‘to be gentle with yourself’ and ‘be cheerful’ – no matter what life throws your way”, he continued to expound.

“Desiderata values that everyone deserves to be heard as the line goes ‘they too have their story’. Everyone wants to be heard but no one wants to listen”, he interpreted the poem.

A few minutes later I had to appreciate his elucidation saying, “Desiderata is a treasure of wisdom and insight. It has no rhyme but much reason.”

And finally, back to business, I was thankful of this opportunity to talk with a medical director face to face. It gave me a spark to build a business rapport. 🏛️

🌎