Dr. John Inzerillo: What are You Looking For? | Eastern North Carolina Now

   Publisher's note: We are most pleased, and quite humbled, to have the opportunity to bring to our readership the often reflective, and always knowledgeable words of Oncologist John Inzerillo, MD.

   This is the fourth installment of a multi-part series, which began on June 2, 2012.

    I enjoy getting up early, especially on Saturdays. This gives me time to have a relaxed cup of decaf and a bowl of Cheerios with a banana. Today was especially pleasing since the weather is unseasonably cool for this time of year. I took my time eating, read a few pages of the Psalms, and then made my way out into the yard. I like to keep the hedges trimmed neatly and work on them weekly. Today they just needed a bit of trimming with the manual hedge clippers. After that task I took to vacuuming out the garage with the Shop Vac, The early hour was not an issue as my wife left early this AM to sell Avon, her new passion. After the quick work of taking care of the garage, I used the blower to clear up the hedge clipping and blew off the back patio. After putting away my tools it was still before 9AM and thus I took a "Kid Break."

    A "Kid Break," you ask? Well my mind went back to a time when I was around fourteen having spent a year living with relatives just outside of Kansas City, Missouri. When I had finished working at my uncle's APCO gas station and had cleaned up, I would go outside and toss my football into the air and have a catch with myself. After thoroughly exhausting myself I plopped to the ground and lay on the summer grass looking up at the sky. It was me, the grass, the sky and the drifting clouds.

    This morning was just such a similar moment. Looking into a truly Carolina blue sky, there were only a few small whiffing clouds. Two particular clouds were so small that as I contemplated the minimal amount of water they contained they vanished as if consumed by the immense sky. This vanishing act is just like our minds should respond to our thoughts, especially thoughts that not are helpful or beneficial. Just like that the clouds vanished. There one second and gone the next. This was a perfect real time demonstration of impermanence.
D. John here actually enjoying a Saturday morning: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    A few seconds later another yet bigger grouping of clouds came into my sky view. This time they initially appeared to be like dragons, with long snouts and open mouths, with sharp teeth exposed. I thought this apparition was the result of some of the video games I had watched my boys play. Paying closer attention to my thoughts, I found my self thinking that I can see just what I want to see at any moment. As this thought came to completion I saw the developing face of a man. He had a beard, nose, visible eye sockets, and long hair. The vision only lasted a few seconds, but I felt a great peace overcome me as I pondered this sighting. This must have been a reflection of reading the Psalms this AM.

    It just goes to show us that we find what we are looking for in every moment. May we all wake up and have the sense to see what is best for all of us at all times.