What If

A lot of subjunctives have been on my mind lately, though I hadn't really put my finger on "what if" as the theme of my current or recent thoughts until today.

A few days ago, there was a suicide bombing in the International Arrivals terminal of the main airport in Moscow. At approximately this same time last year (February 7, to be exact), I was in that very same terminal. What if the attack had happened a little over a year ago?

I suppose we're all here for some reason, and that we're all only a minute, or a decision, or a chance away from our lives taking a wholly different path than we had originally expected. Makes you think though--what if you had taken a wrong turn somewhere, and weren't here anymore? I believe we'll only take that wrong turn when we're fated to do so. What do you think?

Fun fact of the day: warfarin, an anti-clotting drug, gets its name from Wisconsin Alumni Resource (or some other R- word) Fund, because it was developed at the University of Wisconsin. So every time a patient gets prescribed warfarin, the University of Wisconsin cashes in a little [or maybe a lot? I'm not sure]. What if warfarin had been developed at Baylor College of Medicine? It would be called barfarin. hahahaha.

Resolutions for 2011

I hadn't really thought of any resolutions for this year, and I wasn't planning to do any, but a few ideas came to me earlier today, so I thought it would be good to write them down:

1. Focus on my own faults and overlook others. The only things I can change are my own bad qualities, so why waste time pointing out others'?

2. See God in every person and act accordingly. Each person holds God within him- or herself, and I need to remember that constantly.

3. Write in my journal at least once a week.

4. Work out at least once a week.

5. Be less quick to anger and indignation and be more patient, loving, and tolerant. Give others, and the world, the benefit of the doubt.

6. Be more decisive.

7. Recite one of the many slokas I know once a week. It's not that hard. Do it.

8. Be more productive.

9. Read this every day to remind myself of my goals.

Here's to a year worth remembering, complete with [at least] two weddings (one for my sister, another for one of my oldest friends and college roommate), the end of my basic sciences curriculum in medical school, and my last real summer break.