Credentials

Himself is gradually working his way through the old James Herriott books. We'd enjoyed the first season of the "All Creatures . . ." re-make on Masterpiece Theatre so much that we subscribed to BritBox for a while to watch the original series, made way back in the 70s. That still wasn't enough, so he started on the books.

This morning he shared with me an excerpt in which the young veterinarian is faced with a difficult case and while he is confident of all of his education, his experience, his credentials, he still is feeling insecure, as though he doesn't know enough. Meanwhile, all manner of nonprofessionals, the owner of the cow in question, the guy from a nearby farm, are full of suggestions.

Joe said he could relate to the story and I said that I could, too. An architect for fifty years, he knows something about how buildings are put together. He spoke of a current situation where there's a window-meets-wall problem at our church and various men (a handyman, a retired librarian, etc.) are telling -- rather than asking -- him what the solution is. He tries to be patient.

My take was completely different. I thought back to occasions in my work as a hospital chaplain where I'd walk into a situation, bringing with me my graduate degree in pastoral care, my many units of clinical pastoral education, and many (though certainly not fifty!) years of experience, and be completely at a loss with that feeling of self-doubt, of knowing absolutely nothing.

The feeling never lasted long, of course. There was always some detail in the presentation that I could pick up on, to begin the work. Most of the time, there was a way to give something to the patient (or the family) that at least let them know that they were heard, and often there was more.

But that initial moment of groping . . . keeps one humble.