The Doc is In

One person I forgot to mention a special thanks to in the Lady Marmalade blog entry was Uncle Peter. He keeps an updated stock of medical supplies at home - ready to be dished out to anyone who's feeling a tad under the weather. Was I ever so glad that he was there - seasoned enough to discern what's wrong with my tummy and helping my body be rid of that toxic curry puff!

I am generally an unobservant person. So I did not really think too much about the remarks and comments that were made throughout my stay at his family home. Comments like:

"Why don't I get Amy to join you girls in your shopping trip at Hadyai? If she can't take leave, I'll issue her an MC (Medical Chit)." (Said in jest, of course!)

and

"My doctor friends say that I'm bad for their business (sporting a mock sad look). Seems that I take most of their patients away!"

and also,

"How are my two patients doing today?" (Mei Fong took some laxatives for some constipation problem).

etc, etc... were mentioned but it was only on the last day of our stay there that he revealed that his lifelong heart's desire was to be a medical doctor. Suddenly, all the related comments made sense and I felt a twinge of sadness as I looked into his face. He wanted to live out this dream through his sons but the both of them felt the calling to do things other than medicine.

I couldn't help but reflect upon the unfairness of it all. Kids with parents who can afford to finance their studies in any chosen field but who are clueless about what they want to do in life. And then, there are kids like Uncle Peter who know where their passions lie but are helpless to do anything about it and thus, have to choose the cheapest education path available.

And still, real life stories like how Catherine Marshall's parents managed to support her in the prestigious Agnes Scott college despite their apparent lack of monetary funds never fails to remind me that our heavenly Father owns the cattle on the thousand hills and we as His children are heirs to that. Surely if He planted that passion in our hearts, He would bring it to pass.

Seeing how Uncle Peter's face light up when Mei Fong and I got well under his ministrations made me realise that maybe, just maybe, he is living out his dream after all.