# data[].attributes.body
For those who know me well, you know I collect Grinches. I have oodles and oodles of them. I find the Grinch quirky, and interestingly naughty. But if you know the back story of the Grinch, he went into exile because of childhood bullying. However, he eventually found acceptance and learned to love again...."His heart grew 3 sizes that day". My family has been profoundly impacted by  childhood bullying. As a mom, it has had a huge impact on me and has helped me to become a more open, compassionate, and kind person. This hand-felted Grinch that sits in my home office reminds me that adverse events can help us grow and become more resilient.  ~Ruth Thomson

# data[].attributes.body
I collect frogs because they remind me of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican coqui (pronounced ko-kee) is a small frog that’s brown, yellow, or green in color. They have special disks, or toe pads, on their feet that allow them to climb up vertical structures and cling to trees and leaves. Puerto Rican coquis are very small (one to two inches long) and are barely seen but you can hear them all over the Island!

# data[].attributes.body
My grandfather immigrated from Okinawa at 15 to work in the sugar cane fields with his father. He left is mother and never saw her again. Although he as unable to finish schooling, he went on to become a baker and sent my father to UW Madison. Education was something he taught us to value. This is his Japanese dictionary and when I touch it I feel connected to him.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm originally from Fiji, though I remember very little from my childhood. My family emigrated when I was in first grade. My mom gifted me this necklace after one of our visits back. Red coral actually symbolizes courage, and to me, it's significant because it reminds me of how courageous my parents must have been to move to a country and basically start over in pursuit of opportunity for their children: my brother and myself. It also puts into perspective the courage embodied by our patients who migrated from their respective countries later in life with similar hopes and dreams.

# data[].attributes.headline
A drawing of the Good Samaritan my husband had drawn for me for our first anniversary "paper" .  

# data[].attributes.subject
A drawing of the Good Samaritan my husband had drawn for me for our first anniversary "paper" .  

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A drawing of the Good Samaritan my husband had drawn for me for our first anniversary 

# data[].attributes.body
I love to sculpt and after living half my life in several African countries, I sculpt African women. This strong, resilient woman embodies someone who has been through so much suffering but remains resilient and hopeful for the future.  Ronit Elk

# data[].attributes.body
I used to use my "Happy Light" just during the winter in my office. This last year I have used it daily from my home office.

# data[].attributes.body
If there were a soundtrack to my life, it would be jazz. Ever since playing trumpet in high school stage band, I've been fascinated with this music.  There's nothing like the thrill when musicians dial in to each other and improvise together as if by telepathy. And the rhythm! Later in life I studied African drumming and went to Mali with a master of djembe.  In that ancient music were the roots of jazz.  It felt like home.
Joe Rotella

# data[].attributes.body
A circle represents evolution as a process of transformation from death to birth, ending, and beginning, as a circle has no beginning and no end. In this sense, a circle represents eternity. In many customs and spiritual beliefs, a circle represents the Divine life-force or Spirit that keeps our reality in motion. It is symbolic of vitality, wholeness, completion, and perfection-made by Campbell Pottery-check them out in Cambridge Springs, PA. This circle in  this beautiful pottery was given to me from Julie Bruno....thanks Julie at AAHPM Orlando. This was a time when our palliative care and hospice field were together in person. Despite the physical distance we have now, our circles are still passing.  - Heather Coats (Denver, CO)

# data[].attributes.body
I feel chaos abounds all around us and I needed a place to go for peaceful meditation, a place that calms the spirit, a place to reflect and plan. I created this space in my home. It's the perfect place to unwind after a tough day, or begin a fresh, new day. I bring a blanket, hot coffee or tea, and the cat curls up on my lap. I am able to remain centered in a world that attempts to knock me off balance. Paula Parks, Wichita Falls, TX

# data[].attributes.body
I once had a very difficult patient who had advanced cancer and was in severe pain. She was bitter and very resistant to my help and it took me 5 visits before she even let me in her apartment. She did not believe that her pain could be controlled but once I was able to show her otherwise, all her anger melted away and she became a pleasant person. She knitted this green sweater for me as a gift before she died. She is the reason I decided to study pain and its affect on people. -Masako Mayahara (Chicago, IL)

# data[].attributes.body
There is just something about the story and the music that is so special and has been interwoven throughout my life.  It may be how my relatives lived through a similar journey of pogroms in their village prompting them leave their old lives to start anew in the United States of America...or it could be vivid memories of my grandfather often celebrating life  - "L'chaim!" - and dancing with his arms raised to the sky...or that my brother, sister, and I now have thriving, non-traditional families that are loved and honored...or maybe it is the sound of my 12-year old son singing along with every song and carrying the love of this tale and the music on into the next generation...
- Heather Harris (San Francisco, CA)

# data[].attributes.body
This strange addition to my home work area kept appearing on my social media feed -- not sure why. I eventually took it as a sign and purchased him. He is whimsical, practical and keeps me company. He sits on a memory box containing items, notes, photos and other memorabilia from my life and work;  a US History book from my great grandfather' A biography of Charles Schulz (I'm a lifetime Peanuts fan) given to me by AAHPM leaders; and my journal/reflections/notes from 2020 -- all things that remind me where I've been and inspire me to "keep going" and "keep doing." - Steve Smith (Chicago, IL)

# data[].attributes.body
I am blessed to be telephonic in my role. Sometimes, it involves a little magic. Years ago the daughter of one of my nurses gave me a headband which is a unicorn ear/horn with flowers. It is pinned to my board at my desk to remind me that dealing with the sick, the drained, the nurses who have endless hours of drive time and use of PPE this year...it requires a little magic to keep it going. Our light is that magic. -Jesika Da Silva (Clearwater, FL)

# data[].attributes.body
I started wearing bow ties on clinical days about 6 years ago. It remains a light hearted way to share a bit of my personality in the work setting. Patients often ask about or comment on them, which feels meaningful too. This framed case of ties is one of my favorite things in my home and was a gift from my brother.  -Andy Lawton (Boston, MA)