On Bridges

Three days ago I flew into BWI, the Baltimore Airport named after Thurgood Marshall, and as I walked out to meet family, memories from 20 years back came flooding back. This had been my first port of entry into this land. 20 years of entry and exit, learning and growing. That freezing night in 2001 I walked into the warm arms/car of family, the Salaus - who would be the ones to introduce me to the Land of the Free. I would go on to an internship with the University of Virginia, my first exposure to neurosurgery. The Salaus sent me home a month later with my first Laptop, and the dreams of a better health care system would take seed. The dreams have not come true. The challenges on my mind that cold winter night still persist. Somethings have changed. I was a medical student then, I am a doctor now, one who still dreams of a better health system.  

For three days I joined others who dream. They came from 30-something countries around the globe. They were from all kinds of backgrounds, but building bridges everywhere. They came from remote settlements in the Andes, plains in the Serengeti, high rises in Tokyo - everywhere. They worked to solve big problems - providing food for inner city poor in the US, expanding the art market for Nairobi artisans, using the skills of ballet dancing to enhance teamwork during heart surgery - everything. 

They had nothing in common, apart from their dreams… and a name - Eisenhower. The Fellows had come home to Philadelphia, where it all started. In this special place, where the birth of a great nation had taken place, it was appropriate to site the genesis of all fellowship journeys. Somehow, it would be possible to take inspiration from the agedness of this place and ride on the ancient visions planted here, to chase a better world.  

In my luxurious wood panelled hotel room, with leather overlain drawers and parcelled cookies worth tens of dollars, I had time to reflect. Between intimate meetings with Former US Senior Government Officials, Hollywood Stars, Business Leaders, dinners at exotic locations, an understanding of the challenges ahead emerged. We all knew that solutions would come, maybe just not in our lifetimes, but pending nonetheless, if only we did not give up. 

We discussed the state of the world. No words were minced on how challenging the future was, but there was hope, and humour, and laughter and fun. This is how Eisenhower fellows are. The bridges they build in their respective communities would fade away without the bridges between themselves. And here the bonds would grow, firming the relationships that build us up to do good things apart, until we come back again, another year. 

The exotic room had nothing to do with the depth of my pocket, the standard of meetings and the quality of speakers had nothing to do with the achievements I had ever chalked. I was entitled to a severe attack of imposter syndrome, but I know it has never been about what one sees in a man, that defines him. It has always been about what potential he has to do, and the size of his dreams. Maybe, that is why the blessing of this conference is more consistent with my aspirations, than my achievements.  

In this place, I have met my peeps. Somewhere in the mystery of my purpose for life, this fellowship must loom large, because if I must achieve much, it must be because of faith in my potential, rather than belief in my ability. This is the way of God. It is also the way of growth. We only grow to become what we are meant to be, true growth never stops if dreaming persists. 

We have reminded ourselves of the scale of our dreams. We have come to the city where the dreams of a proposed union, birthed the most relentless current of progress our civilisation has ever seen. In its heights of progress and achievement, it founders now, as all great establishments must. But if the dreams persist, the growth can only slow, and never stop. Now it’s time to go back home, and get back to work on the bridges Eisenhower wanted his fellows to build. 

Wherever they find themselves.