What I learned from Dr. Taybi: A life of gratitude
“Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young,
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.” Ecclesiasticus 51:13.
As I prayed today for refugees and those seeking to immigrate to our country, I came across a note from Dr. Hooshang Taybi, posted on Daily Something yesterday. Dr. Taybi wrote the letter three weeks before he died, in response to my email after he learned of his terminal illness.
If you are a radiologist or pediatrician, you will remember Dr. Taybi, best known for studying children with difficulties that become part of a syndrome. He was professionally acclaimed for his encyclopedic memory of more than 100 journals he read, which led to his classic textbook, The Radiology of Syndromes.
But I most remember his kindness, humility, and care for others, empowering others, and never being too important to spend time with you.
A colleague shares a line from Dr. Taybi’s favorite Persian poem: “The best way to show your gratitude for having a strong arm is to extend a helping hand to the weak.”1
I see the life of a brilliant man who, near the end of his life, still expresses gratitude to those who helped him more than 50 years earlier. Dr. Taybi still empowers us today by telling stories about children with illnesses, recounting how he was empowered and expressing gratitude for all who touched his life, even to the end. I continue to see every day the difference gratitude can make in a person’s life.
Today, I will try to remember and give thanks to those who empowered me, and pray that I can pass on empowerment and gratitude to others. I also want to remember Dr. Taybi’s story about the many strangers who helped him throughout his life. I hope to do the same for those who come to our country, remembering Dr. Taybi’s story of how he sought a new life.
I also remember that if a travel ban had been in place for Muslim countries such as Iran, Dr. Taybi would never have come to America. I think of all of us whose lives would not have been touched by his wisdom, especially the children and their parents, who would have missed his medical expertise.
1Ron Cohen, Charles Gooding, “Memorial Hooshang Taybi,” in AJR, 187:1382-1383, 2006.
Joanna https://www.joannaseibert.com/