Lelach Rave, MD, FAAP
It is hard for me to believe that it is already September.
This is always a bittersweet time of year for me. I am sad to see summer end, often a little overwhelmed to see the school year begin, and keenly aware that respiratory viral season – and all the clinical challenges that come with it – is just around the corner.
For me personally, this season also marks the beginning of a new Jewish year. My own tradition sets aside this time for reflection, accountability, and renewal. As the days shorten and the leaves begin to change, there is an invitation to pause and ask some important questions: Where am I now? Where do I want to be? What have I learned? Where did I succeed? Where did I fall short? And if I have fallen short – with myself or with others – how can I make it right?
While this practice comes from a particular tradition, I believe that the wisdom behind it is universal. Everyone and every profession benefits from moments of reflection. Perhaps none more than ours.
Pediatrics asks a great deal of us. We celebrate extraordinary joys alongside families, but we also carry worries, disappointments, frustrations, and losses. We spend so much time focused on the needs of others that it can be easy to move from one season to the next without pausing to consider our own growth, goals, and well-being.
Several years ago, I adopted a practice of answering ten questions during this season. Once I have finished, I put the writing away. The following year, I revisit my answers before beginning again. Sometimes I am surprised by how much has changed. Sometimes I am surprised by how much has not. Either way, it offers a valuable reminder of where I have been and a touchpoint for measuring where I am today.
I wanted to share these questions with you. Perhaps one or two will resonate. Perhaps they become the starting point for a conversation with a spouse, a friend, a colleague, or a child. Perhaps they simply provide a few moments of quiet reflection in what is often a very busy season.
As you reflect, I hope you also take a moment to recognize the community that surrounds you. None of us does this work alone, and I am grateful that WCAAP continues to be a place where pediatricians can learn, grow, and support one another.
However you engage with them, I hope they offer an opportunity for renewal, reconnection, and a chance to appreciate how far you have come.
Describe a significant experience that has happened in the past year. How did it affect you? Are you grateful? Relieved? Resentful? Inspired?
Is there something that you wish you had done differently this past year? Alternatively, is there something you’re especially proud of from this past year?
Think about a major milestone that happened with your family this past year. How has this affected you?
Describe an event in the world that has impacted you this year. How? Why?
Have you had any particularly spiritual experiences this past year? How has this experience affected you? “Spiritual” can be broadly defined to include secular experiences such as art, music, nature, culture, service, or moments of connection.
Describe one thing you’d like to achieve by this time next year. Why is this important to you?
How would you like to improve yourself and your life next year? Is there a piece of advice or counsel you received in the past year that could guide you?
Is there something—a person, a cause, or an idea—that you want to investigate more fully in the coming year?
What is a fear that you have and how has it limited you? How do you plan to let it go or overcome it in the coming year?
When September 2027 rolls around and you look back at your answers, how do you think you’ll feel? What do you hope might be different about your life?
As the seasons change, I hope these questions give you an opportunity to pause and reflect on where you have been and where you hope to go. Pediatrics is meaningful work, but it is also demanding work. My hope is that you find moments this year for both purpose and renewal.
And wherever the coming year takes you, know that you do not travel it alone. Thank you for being part of the WCAAP community and for all you do for Washington’s children and families.