The late, great, film critic for Time Magazine, Richard Corliss; had a very prepared answer for anyone who would ask him, ‘Anything worth seeing lately?” To which his constant response was, “Everything is worth seeing.” The meaning is simple; the more you open yourself up to the world around you the more you will know. Even something bad can be something learned.
In our world, how many times do we push aside the present because we do not know it; much less understand it. I’m not saying that your whole world has to be all about diabetes; and I get that we want to be ‘back-on-the-horse’ and living in the world and grabbing it for as much as we can but I am saying there is much to know about this diabetes world and the only way to find out is to spend a little time in it……at some point.
There are expos, lectures, and events that you can partake with little or no money. Very few organizations would ever turn down volunteer work so even if you cannot afford to go, you can volunteer to go, and see what many are talking about. But the fund-raising events aside……there are many educational opportunities run by support groups, hospitals, camps, and all right in your own area. Go.
As your kids have grown up with diabetes, the world around them has changed. We, as parents, need to keep up with the world and the only way is to be involved in it. Recently I went to a lecture. The good doctor being introduced was in his eighties. He was helped up the stairs and I thought to myself, “…this could be interesting.” Thinking that I would hear ramblings of the days gone by; turns out he was one of the most engaging and brilliant speakers I have heard in some time and although deep in his eighties, he knew more about diabetes than anyone I have ever heard before…..he was up-to-date ON EVERYTHING and at the same time he had worked along side Elliot Joslin (yes THAT Joslin!!!)
If I did not take the chance, I would have missed this golden diabexpert of a man who was as fascinating as he was knowledgeable. Lesson learned. SO do not wait for the learning opportunities to come to you. If you do not have the time, find the time. Even a little. Commit to something once every three months, at least, to expand your knowledge.
Real simple: If you don’t learn it, you can’t know it. And in our diabetes world, knowledge is the equalizer. Find out.
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