Have you ever found yourself in really tough situation? A situation where you didn’t know the right answer. But you had a friend or family member who you knew was really smart, worked hard and always tried to do the right thing? You hated to bother them, but you broke down and gave them a call because you needed help?
Thank God for people like that.
We’ve all been there in our personal life when the rails have come off and the path isn’t clear. In my professional life as a physician, I regularly have to call upon people who have different/more skills than me. Often, personally and professionally, these are life and death situations.
When we call for help, we may not always agree with or understand the answer. That can create even more un-ease. Situation was bad, we asked for help and situation is still bad. How we respond depends a lot upon our view of the world and people in it.
Take, for example, the way Senator Rand Paul treated Dr. Anthony Fauci at his Congressional hearing meeting. Dr. Fauci is 85 years old and retired from public service. Yet he was forced to sit alone while being castigated by a US Senator, one of the most powerful men on Earth.
While I don’t personally know Dr. Fauci, I know a lot of people who are like Dr. Fauci. They get up early, stay up late, take call overnight in the hospital. They are accused of being work-a-holics. They may not have a perfectly balanced life and their loved ones may feel neglected. All of this to solve problems that we may not have a perfect answer to.
Physicians actually take a pledge that says, As a Member of the Medical Profession: I solemnly pledge to dedicate my life to the service of humanity; the health and well-being of my patient will be my first consideration.
So, we have a choice to make. Do we assume that Dr. Fauci intentionally caused the pandemic or harmed people on purpose? Therefore, he must be an evil man who needs to be ridiculed in front of the entire world (at the age of 85). Or do we assume that he made the best choices he could in service to humanity?
How we answer that question has great impacts on ourselves. Anger destroys health and relationships. It can also make us blind to reality. And it can be used as a weapon against others (and democracy).
My heart goes out to Dr. Fauci and all people who have suffered through an abusive, angry relationship. May we collectively find ways to treat people better.
-Dr. Joe
first published 2 Aug 2026
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
