A promotion at work started 2017 for me, dropping me into a tidal wave of new learning and stretch assignments that I continue to float within now.

Evenso, I was lucky enough to sneak up to Boston last week and complete my second residency week of the certificate program at the Center for Narrative Practice, which I have studied in since August. The faculty, largely led by Columbia University’s Narrative Medicine folks, led us through a hands-on curriculum, designed to equip us with the practical tools required to lead narrative exercises in our unique clinical settings.

I’ve been thinking about the class since returning to my new job this week, itching to test out my new learnings. With my title comes some freedom to fashion the meetings that I’m responsible for, and a group of bedside nurses selected to drive quality improvement across my organization seemed the perfect group.

Today’s meeting was our first together, and after some expected technical difficulties and “Why are we here?” questions, I posed the choice: Should we proceed with didactic training via a colorful powerpoint I have prepared, or take a more creative route to understanding quality by…reading a poem?

To my surprise, the group wholeheartedly embraced the literary choice, and together, we read, discussed and wrote reflections on George Ella Lyon’s poem, Where I’m From.

Our rich discussion, which ranged from literary analysis to family history, ended with one nurse’s summary: by witnessing each other’s stories and recognizing our own, we see and remember that each of our patients comes from somewhere, too, and that asking them the simple question – “Where are you from?” – might lead to beautiful, unexpected findings.

It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway – I couldn’t have dreamed for a better, more engaged synopsis and group response, and I am excited to find ways to create more and more space for this important, meaningful, new way of seeing into my new days.

My reflection to the reading: