wise old sage (or why sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees)

his name is roland. he is an ultrasound technician. today he performed a doppler test on my lower legs to determine the source of my pain and swelling. a doppler test relies on ultrasonic waves to measure the flow of blood through the blood vessels.

roland looked like he was in his fifties. he was educated in a foreign country many moons ago. when he came to canada, those in his profession required little in terms of educational qualifications. today, he told me, most of those in his chosen field will obtain a bachelor of science degree in radiological technology. he mentioned the existence of a joint program between the university of toronto and the nearby michener institute that offers just such a degree.

why am i telling you this? because today, saturday, roland was far and away the most interesting person i met. how come?

today we talked about his life back in china. today we talked about how his profession has changed over the years. today we talked about the lack of interest in his profession shown by high school career counsellors. today we talked about how medical science is more accurately described as "medical art." today we talked about how so few life science majors will ever be accepted into medical school. today we talked about the limited number of medical schools in the province. today we talked about the cost of a medical education in this country versus that of an american college.

but most importantly, today we talked about the meaning of life. today we talked about how fleeting life can be. today we talked about enjoying the moment while the moment is still here.

at one point i mentioned that i hoped to remain just as healthy in the "second half" of my life as i managed to be in the first. to which roland replied as follows:

"this is how i see the life of a man. (holding hands apart) this is where he begins. this is where he ends. the one thing he does not know is the precise distance between these two points."

i can honestly say that i have met three brilliant people in my lifetime. roland may be the fourth.

"may the force be with you." - star wars (1977)