I often reflect on how my life is racing by. I blink and it feels as though another year has passed.

Our children grow older and more independent. The “new” hospital that I started working at when it first opened is now over seven years old.

In medicine, our lives are filled with long work hours of administration, clinic, call, and OR time.

We are always running somewhere.

I am proud that we feel this strong obligation to serve our communities and families: but where do our souls fit into all of this?

None of us is ever getting back the hours and years that have passed in our lives. And in caring for our patients, most of us are tragically and regularly reminded about how fragile life can be.

But these realities can be an empowering force in our lives – reminding us to cherish our time and make it as meaningful as possible.

Here is my challenge for you this week:

Simply stop and ask yourself whether you are living the life you actually want - one where you feel that every moment is well spent.

What would you like to change? What must change?