Constants

Happy belated Pi day! Yesterday, March 14 (or 3.14) was Pi day. As a former math nerd, it’s fun to turn the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter into a day in March filled with pie jokes and memes. ?This is only outdone, in my opinion, by Mole Day; celebrated by chemistry enthusiasts all over the world on October 23 between 6:02 a.m. and 6:02 p.m. This is based on Avogadro's number, which like Pi is a "constant." In the case of Pi, it doesn’t matter how big or small a circle, the ratio between its circumference and diameter always stays the same. As other attributes in a system vary, a constant remains fixed. I have always found the concept of a constant to be somewhat comforting; mathematics, science, and the natural world comporting to a standard way of doing things. But this must be reconcilled with the timeless truth that one of the only real constants in life is the inevitability of change (to paraphrase the Greek philosopher Heraclitus). Let me see if I can draw some comparisons from my current location.

My family has vacationed at the same beach in Florida for over 20 years. In those 20 years, my wife and I have lived in three different states. The location of our vacation has been a constant, but each trip has been unique; different starting points, different participants (before and after children), different agendas, etc. The beach itself is a great example of something that constantly changes, as it's rare that the sunshine, cloud cover, temperature, tides, "bounties of the sea" (see picture of various sea beans), and other conditions are even remotely similar. But it often feels the same to the family due to its familiarity, and because it geographically has not moved. As a final illustration, we ate dinner last evening at one of our favorite restaurants that we first frequented in 2004. Even though we were served by the same waiter from 20 years ago (amazing!), the experience was very different. The location was the same, but the menu, food, decorations, the participants, and the age of some of those attending (sadly) had changed. Vacation is an equation with many variables. But the constant in this vacation equation is a barrier island off the coast of Florida.

Four years ago this week (on 3.11.2020), our world changed forever with the official declaration of the global COVID-19 pandemic. ?As I write this, I am in the exact physical location today that I was in four years ago; yet so much has changed. As I reflect on our time in COVID, what strikes me is not so much what has changed (because so much has), but the primacy of those rare things that have stayed the same. To withstand the test of COVID, something truly had to be a constant; something so deeply rooted and held, that it could survive steadfast. One of those immutable attributes, in my opinion, is the commitment to timeless values. In our system, we value integrity, compassion, accountability, excellence, and courage.? Yours might be slightly different, but values should not change, and should continue to remain fixed. I contend that values are our constant in healthcare. They define us and set us apart. To that end, I will choose to celebrate the unchanging nature of our values that guided us then, just as they do now. What are the constants in your life? What stands the test of time and does not change?