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P. 82
because the benefit is in a continuous must try to not overpressure ourselves, and in my medical school elective rota-
pattern of exercise. Similarly, it does not not push ourselves harder than is good tion in ophthalmology, and I had every
suffice to eat right for some short period or healthy for us. Emotional equilibrium expectation that I would be accepted into
of time. We must continue day after day, requires a sense of tranquility, at least my school’s residency program. I wasn’t.
month after month, year after year. The to the level where this can be attained. I Two other members of my class were
task is never done, but we cannot desist have found in my working life that if I felt accepted, and their credentials were not
from it. satisfied and not overly stressed, things as good as mine. I called the chairman
fell into place at work and at home. But of the ophthalmology department and
Even at times when we are not func- if I got too stressed or too frustrated at asked him why I was not accepted. He
tioning optimally due to external stress- work, this carried over to the home en- said, “We want everyone we accept to be
es, lack of sleep, depression, etc., we vironment and things more easily fell a dedicated ophthalmologist, and in your
must keep acting. As is noted above, the apart. It has to be a priority in your life case, we weren’t sure that family consid-
Chofetz Chaim said that Hashem is not to keep yourself healthy and reduce the erations wouldn’t intervene.” Nowadays,
concerned about splendid performance stress on yourself to the extent that you of course, no one can say anything like
of a task as much as the performance of can. this. But we have to view our lives not
the task. as an either/or situation but as including
The best strategy in your working life work, family, and spiritual life. We may
Final Thoughts is to have tremendous hakaras hatov, have to stagger things, reduce our work
In one of the Maggid books, Rabbi Krohn the recognition of everything good that load in some phases of our life, and then
tells of a bachur, new to the yeshiva, who Hashem has given you at home and at assume more as we are able to. Our aim
was the chazan and raced through the work, and a recognition of how your fel- is to be a dedicated person in this world,
davening. When he finished, the rosh ye- low employees and family help you. and this is certainly possible.u
shiva took him over to the side and said,
“You know, ‘Venas’tem ve’ain rodeif es- You must keep in mind that your goals The WITS/MAALOT seminar, “Women
chem’ (And you will flee with no one pur- in life may be different from those of your in the Workplace: Opportunities and
suing you) is a klala (curse).” The rebuke coworkers. I applied for my residency in Challenges,” was generously funded by
(tochacha) in the Torah includes this pa- ophthalmology in 1977, a different era. The Charles Crane Family Foundation.
suk as a curse. In everyday life, too, we This was right after I had my first child.
I had done very well in medical school
74 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
pattern of exercise. Similarly, it does not not push ourselves harder than is good tion in ophthalmology, and I had every
suffice to eat right for some short period or healthy for us. Emotional equilibrium expectation that I would be accepted into
of time. We must continue day after day, requires a sense of tranquility, at least my school’s residency program. I wasn’t.
month after month, year after year. The to the level where this can be attained. I Two other members of my class were
task is never done, but we cannot desist have found in my working life that if I felt accepted, and their credentials were not
from it. satisfied and not overly stressed, things as good as mine. I called the chairman
fell into place at work and at home. But of the ophthalmology department and
Even at times when we are not func- if I got too stressed or too frustrated at asked him why I was not accepted. He
tioning optimally due to external stress- work, this carried over to the home en- said, “We want everyone we accept to be
es, lack of sleep, depression, etc., we vironment and things more easily fell a dedicated ophthalmologist, and in your
must keep acting. As is noted above, the apart. It has to be a priority in your life case, we weren’t sure that family consid-
Chofetz Chaim said that Hashem is not to keep yourself healthy and reduce the erations wouldn’t intervene.” Nowadays,
concerned about splendid performance stress on yourself to the extent that you of course, no one can say anything like
of a task as much as the performance of can. this. But we have to view our lives not
the task. as an either/or situation but as including
The best strategy in your working life work, family, and spiritual life. We may
Final Thoughts is to have tremendous hakaras hatov, have to stagger things, reduce our work
In one of the Maggid books, Rabbi Krohn the recognition of everything good that load in some phases of our life, and then
tells of a bachur, new to the yeshiva, who Hashem has given you at home and at assume more as we are able to. Our aim
was the chazan and raced through the work, and a recognition of how your fel- is to be a dedicated person in this world,
davening. When he finished, the rosh ye- low employees and family help you. and this is certainly possible.u
shiva took him over to the side and said,
“You know, ‘Venas’tem ve’ain rodeif es- You must keep in mind that your goals The WITS/MAALOT seminar, “Women
chem’ (And you will flee with no one pur- in life may be different from those of your in the Workplace: Opportunities and
suing you) is a klala (curse).” The rebuke coworkers. I applied for my residency in Challenges,” was generously funded by
(tochacha) in the Torah includes this pa- ophthalmology in 1977, a different era. The Charles Crane Family Foundation.
suk as a curse. In everyday life, too, we This was right after I had my first child.
I had done very well in medical school
74 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
