Gifts Given and Gifts Taken Away
Gifts Given and Gifts Taken Away
There are gifts given and gifts taken away. And Jacob’s abilities could be described as nothing less than a gift. He was a violin virtuoso. Or at least, that was the word the university professor of violin pedagogy fumbled with over and over again as she ushered the eight year old Jacob out of her office and cornered his parents. He was immediately enrolled in an advanced curriculum, taken out of public school, and given a special tutor.
Years passed quickly in this atypical childhood. International tours, solo concerts, guest professorships. Jacob lived up to his moniker. Mastering the classics, creating his own new ones, and trailblazing a path forward.
Dreams and Realities
Entering his third decade, every dream of Jacob’s had been realized. A household name inside and out of the classical music world, he was surrounded by a bevy of handlers. Agents, promoters, schedulers, accountants, and personal assistants. His wealth had grown exponentially.
His wife traveled on the private jet beside him to each venue, the wonder and joy of a new life forming inside her belly.
Jacob had everything. Everything except the passion that he had heretofore taken for granted. At the height of his career, Jacob no longer felt the undying joy for the violin. He was starting to loathe the excruciatingly long day to day practice, and he was exhausted by waking up every morning in a different city with a new group of people to entertain.
He was burned out.
Staring across the aisle at his beloved, he watched as she bent feverishly over the daily planner trying to find a spare moment to sightsee in Venice before the next concert.
He made a decision.
It was time to retire. He had more than enough money, but his time with his wife and soon to be son would be limited.
There are gifts given and gifts taken away.
Jacob hung up his bow strings.
After
It’s not that Jacob never played again. But his drive and exacting nature were squashed by retirement. Left to his own devices, his form became a touch sloppy, his notes a little less stringent.
The shock eventually wore off, and the international outcry died down. The classical world had lost one of its superstars. One couldn’t help but think that in a fell swoop, the greatest music of a century was wiped out before even being written.
Jacob, however, was oblivious to such ephemeral worries. Swathed in the quiet triumph of fatherhood, he hugged his baby son tightly and rejoiced in the women who had given him so much.
There are gifts given and gifts taken away.
The nobility of art and music the cost of one man’s bliss.
Gifts Given
Jacob could no longer hear the drone of sirens as he focused on the inconceivable words the emergency room doctor was nonchalantly spouting at him. His son’s shortness of breath was due to a rare congenial heart defect. The damage had grown since infancy, and now the effects were obvious.
Although previously fatal, Dr. Joseph, the house cardiovascular surgeon had recently perfected a new technique that likely would save the poor child’s life.
On the day of the surgery, violin virtuoso stood face to face with surgical virtuoso. Both young men in their thirties. Both pioneers in their respective fields.
Twelve hours later an exhausted Dr. Joseph entered the waiting room and gave Jacob the great news. His son was going to be OK.
Gifts Taken Away
Weeks later, his son recovered, Jacob arrived at the office for the first post-hospital check. When the doctor entered there examining room, Jacob’s mouth fell open. It was Dr. Broderick, Dr. Josephs partner.
Inexplicably, Dr. Joseph decided to hang up his stethoscope and retire from medicine. Jacob’s son was the last child he ever would operate on. The last child to undergo the pioneering procedure.
There are gifts given and gifts taken away.
Epilogue
Jacob returned home that afternoon and locked himself in the little office that housed all his instruments. It was said that over the next few years, he created the music that would be studied by the greats in universities and concert halls over the next couple of centuries.
Jacob’s son grew into a healthy teenager and eventually an adult. He much preferred the drums to his father’s more refined violin.
And Dr. Joseph. Sadly.
Dr. Joseph remained retired and never operated on a single patient again.
Gifts given, and gifts taken away.
Wow. Was this a real life event?
I know for me it is a consideration when I want to call it quits (and trust me I have no delusions that I am a virtuoso in the field of radiology but I do think I’m pretty good).
Right now (mid/late 40s) I am entering the stage of my practice where the knowledge and ability are likely peaking. The more cases you see the more comfortable and more efficient you become reading them.
So why would anyone consider leaving at the pinnacle? That is tough question to answer. I think everyone has their own definition of enough.
Definitely something that can be argued either way
Not real life, a mix of different stories meant to be an allegory.
Oh man. There are so many things about this story I am curious about. I can understand why Jacob retired from being a violin virtuoso. He became rich and famous. And life on the road became too arduous and stressful. His work was not enjoyable anymore after tirelessly practicing the violin and perfecting his craft for so many years since the age of 8. Plus with a little one on the way, he wanted focus more on the family. All very understandable reasons to hang it up and retire.
But Dr. Joseph on the other hand… Why did he leave medicine so soon? Being a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, he must have been in residency for at least 7-8 years. Since Dr. Joseph is only in his thirties, he must have been practicing medicine for only a few years. Surely he must have hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical school debt top pay off. The case of Dr. Joseph baffles me and I am intrigued by this.
What if Dr. Joseph was 50 and independently wealthy, would it change the story? Each of us is given certain gifts of talent and interest. Often we pursues this with a career. What happens when we stop doing our career? What happens to those gifts?
If Dr. Joseph was 50 and independently wealthy, it would change the story for me. It was would make more sense to me and I would be less baffled about his departure from medicine. When we stop doing our career, it is inevitable that the gifts and skills that we used in our career will eventually erode. That’s why it’s great to pursue other hobbies and have an identity outside of our careers.
Maybe the guy has a brain tumor
That sounds so Grey’s Anatomy!
Very interesting points brought up in your story. But, I don’t think of it as gifts given, gifts taken away. I’m with you on the gifts given. And I believe we all have our unique gifts , skills and talents. Some having exceptional ones. But, I think of the taken away part, as gifts retired.
The gifts remain. Dr. Joseph’s decision, doesn’t strike me, so sad. In fact I have great respect that he understands the great responsibility that comes with work. And perhaps, he is aware of the timing ; when he is no longer able to offer his best work to patients. And moves into his next adventure.
But what if Dr. Joseph decides to leave in his prime. What other groundbreaking procedures could he create? how many lives could he save?
Dr. Joseph’s Decision to leave in his prime is truly ok. Perhaps another street is calling him where his services are more desperately needed. Or where he can reach out to many instead the few. Dr. Joseph could even mentor the next generation, or work with a team to further his ideas to see them through fruition. Dr. Joseph made the choice of change. That in itself bring new possibilities.
Interesting and provacative. Everything we choose affects us and all those around us. Still only we can decide what’s the best use of our time.
Yes. I wanted to contrast the artist stepping away verse the surgeon stepping away. Does the person’s impact on society change the equation?
This story is the definition of sequence of return risk. If you think Dr Joeseph owes something to society and you’re expecting to retire early…. Dr Joseph lived happily ever after and quit the game before his demise. We are so surprised at physician suicide but so indignant if someone commits an act of self preservation.
Interesting story. So many people have gone into medicine for the wrong reasons. So many people went into medicine because their parents made them. So many people just “succeed” because they’ve been conditioned to do that their entire lives. Maybe Dr. Joseph finally woke up to his life and said “enough already”. All that matters is if Dr. Joseph is at peace with his decision more days than not.
What if Dr Joseph is at peace but the world losses out because of his decision? What if Jacob’s child dies in less skilled hands?