i can't believe it!
i've learned so much within one month, and it is exciting to know how much more I will learn over the next year.
I'm thankful though. As I was driving home from evening shift, in the wee hours of 1 am along the country roads from sunderland to uxbridge to markham, I realize how at the cusp my home is between suburban and rural. I used to be offended by how people said I lived in the "boonies" but in reality, I literally live next to the borderline of rural markham and suburban markham. Development has yet to hit the corner of Major Mac and Warden. Not yet. The farms are still in tact, and they are beautiful.
However, the same feelings of fear and sweet bitterness arises like when I was in rural Mexico with the recently unexcavated Mayan ruins... what will this place be like within a decade? Will mass market development have overtaken completely? Will the city folk pretend they are living the life by building big houses, with large properties that they don't keep and labour themselves, but hire others to maintain?
It's a little ridiculous isn't it? Buying land for prestige but not bothering to work the land?
I see farmers on tracters working their own land every day, cutting the grass, growing their vegetables, tending their horses and cows.. it is such a sight that I don't get to see while driving along the 401 to go to Western... I see the small towns, the quaint main streets, the small gas stations, the small mom and pop stores that struggle to survive. It is a mixed feeling when convenient big box office stores open up because that also means the livelihood of one family changed forever.
I'm a city girl at heart, or maybe I should clarify; I am a suburban girl at heart. Yet, one month commuting through the beauty of the rural areas, I don't know if I could ever be a part of a rural community fully, but I have loved commuting to and from it. I feel I am cheating them in a way because I'm only receiving from the community - the scenery - the small town welcoming personalities, and yet I can't be bothered to stay around and participate in rural life.
I'm not sure if it was such a good idea to live at home and commute to Uxbridge. At first I thoguht it was an advantage to practice outside of the community, however, I believe there is advantage to being a part of the community as well, to know the dynamics, to know the town's struggles, to better know community health needs...etc.
What a fine balance it is.
Even cooler is how my preceptor is potentially thinking of applying as clinical director for uxbridge satellite site for UT's rural family stream in the future. Now wouldn't that be awesome?! Serious consideration for residency program!
I pray that God will continue to give me the guidance and wisdom in regards to rural medicine and what type of community he'd like for me to practice in in the future.
Thank you God for placing our family in Markham so long ago. How could we ever know that you might've placed us there for my future practice as a doctor!
Thank you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
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