Finding Your Patch

Finding our path may not be the easiest of tasks.

At times, it becomes overgrown, confusing, twisting, and unsettling. We wake up surrounded by these insecurities life seems to hand us and still life says to find your path and set straight to yearn for it, to walk towards it, and once on it, to not fall off it again.

Instead of doing this, find your patch instead.

In fact, it's not everyday you can write to your "patch" and he can write back and send his books to you.

Why Patch Adams? Why did I feel the need to write to the doctor himself?

Well, for starters, my path had become brittle and unfocused, but luckily through my un-luck, Patch himself became my focus point, my own "patch" for a scar I did not know the depths of.

A scar that I did not know would be opened time and time again, because life has her ways of un-stitching each well-placed stitch.

I had watched the movie Patch Adams in a medical class in high school after a tender heartbreak, and soon became enveloped with his wisdom, but it wasn't until months later that I reached to him with words and questions of brokenness, and he grasped and returned with words and answers of wholesomeness.

In his first letter, he crafted words of advice: "Be radiant! Spread joy!", and in each letter since four years ago he continues his wholesome work on myself and others.

With his first letter, he sent his two books as encouragement to read in depth the holistic words of nurturing, caring, and healing as to maybe find answers to the path fallen off of.

And within the first few pages, quickly I understood the power of words and the power of a "soul in pain". Most importantly though, I understood the power of human connection.

Quite possibly, after reading his books and letters, I felt and still feel whatever ingredients his soul are made of, my soul is too made of.

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Still, I write to him.

I read his books almost once a year and highlight, star words, or write in the margins words that feel like home.

You or I may not agree with each concept he thinks on, but most times I feel myself nodding in agreement.

He with other contributors discuss many enriching topics such as: creativity, humor and healing, friendship, community, surrendering, and a topic most are uneasy with, death.

A piece from his book I think we can all take in with a steady breath is:

"For me, huge means intoxicating vision, daring to look at the miracle of life and dream without inhibition. It means to look at yourself and decide that death is the only limiting factor, that maybe even death can be used to good purpose. Huge means spending everyday in zestful expression of one's highest self."

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Here's the journey: life.

Here's the story: you.

Here's the truth: the path that suddenly disappears makes you grow the most as a person

When the path falters, find your patch.

"So go baby!!!"

As he told me, and find your patch too.

Be radiant always,

Sydney

P.S. I highly recommend his books and here is his website as well!

https://www.patchadams.org/