Saturdays with Dr. Roffman

Each Saturday, Dr. Joel Roffman, a prominent Dallas cardiologist and author will share meaningful experiences he has had with patients who are dealing with a variety of physical and emotional issues. You will find the manner in which they deal with life’s problems to be practical, inspirational and uplifting.

The Lights of Christmas

I’ve gotten to know Phyllis quite well over the years. In caring for her heart condition, I’ve also learned about her family, her interests, and her basic philosophy of life. She typically comes in a couple of times a year – once in the spring and once around early December. As always, Phyllis was wearing her Christmas best – decorative sweater, red and green jewelry, and of course, her trademark socks!

Like the lights of the holiday, Phyllis is an example of what Christmas should symbolize – the teachings of Jesus. These teachings – the best and most meaningful in all our Judeo-Christian tradition – sometimes get forgotten in the daily swirl of daily lives. So many things happen to which we simply react, that we don’t have time to reflect. So each time we look at the holiday lights, we should remember to:

· Show God-like love to all.
· Be humble.
· Give service to all, and especially to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
· Forgive others; don’t carry a grudge.

Phyllis embodies all these teachings. So should we.

Are there other important lessons to remember? What do you think of when you see Christmas lights?

If you have a comment or question about this blog entry, email Dr. Roffman at drroffman@cs4seniors.com.

Dr. Joel Roffman has spoken to many church, synagogue and support groups. His book, Coping with Adversity: Judaism’s response to illness and other life struggles is enjoyable, uplifting and informative. It is meant for people of all faiths and can be viewed at http://www.copingwithadversity.com/. It is available at Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com.