Keynote Address
The Magic Keys: Secrets to Success and Happiness
Speaker: Enrique M. Ostrea Jr., MD
Good morning to my dear colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen:
I have been asked a unique task to open this celebration of the 19th Annual Meeting and 10th International Convention of the Philippine Society of Newborn Medicine. Normally, my task has always been to share with you updated information in Neonatology. So, it was a big surprise for me when Dr. Au Libadia, chairperson of the convention, invited me to give the first plenary talk with an inspirational message instead. I wondered why? Was it because I am already 83 years of age, over ripe and at the end of my career? On second thought, I guessed she meant that I have at this stage already accumulated a vast wealth of life’s experience and it is time that I share something different with you today – not medicine, not medical information but words of wisdom. So, let me share with you my Keys to Happiness and Success.
My keys to happiness and success are represented by a triangle which has guided me throughout the years and have been the source of my happiness, success and joy in life. At the top angle of the triangle is God who is the Creator of all things, the Universe, mankind including the arts, science, medicine, etc. One cannot help but believe in a God. As Abraham Lincoln said, I cannot imagine someone who can look up to the high heavens, see the million stars and cosmos above, see the amazing order in the Universe and not acknowledge a Creator, a designer, a mover, a God. The vastness of this creation and its order did not occur just by chance. Too perfect and too synchronized to be a mere chance phenomenon. It is much easier to accept a great God to explain this perfection in creation than to deny it. This is a God who is so mighty, so powerful and yet so loving and so merciful. Thus, the first key to happiness is to know God, to love God and to serve God. Without acknowledging God, we will be like entities, floating aimlessly and endlessly in space without any direction, without any meaning and without any purpose. However, the problem is how can we know, love and serve a God who is infinite. How can a finite being like us be able to comprehend the greatness of an infinite being. Well, God has made that simple for He gave us our neighbor, our fellowmen. Remember, He said that “whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me”. Our career is directed to minister especially to our suffering neighbor – whether an adult, a child or an infant. I remember in my early years in Neonatology that I sent a message on Christmas day to my nurses in the NICU. What a wonderful opportunity and privilege, I wrote, for you to take care of the sick, helpless infant, who is suffering inside the incubator. Picture the infant like the infant Jesus born on Christmas day, laying on the crib, helpless, shivering in the cold and waiting for your hands to give him comfort, warmth and care. Our attention to the sick infant is a task, a chance and a privilege that repeats each day. You, as neonatologists share in this wonderful privilege and opportunity day by day as you make your rounds in the nursery, as you spend endless night caring for the infant with respiratory distress. Picture that infant as Jesus asking you to use your knowledge, your skills and your love to care for him. Whether Christmas or not, the countless infants you have cared for represent Jesus in the crib longing for your care, warmth and comfort. Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me.
Our God is also a loving God who in His infinite love shared the divinity of His son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and become man to redeem us because we, His precious creation has repeatedly fallen and rejected Him. Yet, despite our frailties and failures, God’s love is boundless. He has given us life and share in the treasures and blessings of the Earth. He has given to us Mama Mary, who intercedes to Jesus for us in time of our needs. As the expression goes, “To Jesus through Mary”. God has given to us the saints in heaven who by their exemplary lives help us to know and love God more dearly. We are never lost. We have all the help we need because of a loving God.
Our God is a merciful God who welcomes us despite our frailties. This is a God who leaves the flock to search for one lost sheep and when found is placed upon his shoulder and safely and joyfully brought back home. This is a merciful God who looks with kindness and compassion on the publican who dared not lift his eyes to heaven nor enter the temple, but instead bowed his head beating his breast and asking for God’s mercy and forgiveness. God favored this sinner over the Pharisee who proudly proclaimed his righteousness at the altar. This is a merciful God who like the father welcomed his prodigal son who wasted his inheritance in debauchery and sin and came back asking for forgiveness and mercy from his ever loving father.
Thus, the first key to happiness is to know, love and serve God who is mighty and powerful, yet infinitely loving and merciful.
The second key to happiness is health. Have you ever wondered how perfect our body was made. Its anatomy, biochemistry and physiology. Everything works well like clockwork, a perfect machine, so well-functioning, so well-oiled and so well coordinated. However, this machine, perfect or not, needs timely maintenance and needs repair when broken. Invest in your health, through proper nutrition and exercise. Maintain it well and most of all, do not abuse it because if neglected and abused, it breaks down. Some people lose health to make money and they lose money to regain health. Some people lose health through vices, through drugs, through sinful activities, and health is not valued until sickness comes. From the bitterness of disease, man realizes the sweetness of health. Sadly, it may be too late. So be wary. Take good care of the precious gift of life that you received from God. To paraphrase a saying, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but suffers the loss of his health?
Let me tell you a story. There is this rich man, lying alone and lonely in his bed. The room is dark and all he sees are the blinking numbers on his monitor and hears the beep of his heartbeat. He is dying, his body ravaged with cancer. For all the wealth in this world, for all that money can buy, he lies helpless with his life slowly ebbing away. He thinks of his life, once vigorous and healthy, yet so busy amassing wealth and fortune, ignored his health and failed to heed the warning signs of an impending cancer. Now, he regrets for failing to realize that his health was in danger. Now he lays deteriorating from the cancer that has wreaked havoc on his body. He is dying and sadly, it is too late. No amount of money in this world can save him. He is resigned and bitter for having neglected his health. The clock is ticking, counting the last minutes of his life. This man’s name is Steve Job, the creator and CEO of the Apple computer, one of the wealthiest and influential man on Earth. From his deathbed, these are his last words:
”I reached the peak of success in the business world. My life is the epitome of success on the opinion of others. I have nothing to be happy about except work. In the end, wealth is just a reality of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on my bed and recalling my life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of my death.
You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you, but you cannot have someone bear your sickness for you. Material things lost can be found or replaced. But there is one thing that can never be found when lost—Life. Whichever stage in life you’re in right now, with time, you will face the day when the curtain falls.
Treasure love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well and cherish others. As we grow older, and hopefully wiser, we realize that a $3000 or a $30 watch both tell the same time. You will realize that your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you fly first class or economy, if the plane goes down – you go down with it.
Therefore, I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, sing with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, that is true happiness. Don’t educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be happy. So when they grow up they will know the value of things and not the price.
Eat your food as your medicine, otherwise, you have to eat medicine as your food.
The One who loves you will never leave you for another because, even if there are 100 reasons to give up, he or she will find a reason to hold on. There is a big difference between a human being and being human. Only a few really understand it. You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, you have to manage.
The six best doctors in the world are sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self-confidence, and friends. Maintain them in all stages and enjoy a healthy life.” Steve Jobs.
What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his health?
The third key to happiness is wealth. I am not talking only of financial wealth but abundance of wealth in many areas such as your precious family, your dear friends, your blossoming career, the enjoyment of arts and music. How lucky you are to have your family, your father and mother who cared and loved you abundantly from the moment of your birth, your brothers and sisters who cajoled, supported, and encouraged you to succeed; your dear friends who were there and remained faithful when you were up and when you were down; your successful career as a doctor and as a neonatologist, entrusted to cure, heal and comfort the sick infant. However, it is a misconception that we, as physicians, have a duty to cure. That is not always possible because some ailments may be beyond cure, such as cancer. However, we can always heal with our kind words, understanding, encouragement and words of hope. That is why Medicine is both a science and an art. The science enables us to cure the physical and the art enable us to heal the spirit. The last of wealth is financial wealth. It should come in moderation. Our financial wealth is a gift and a reward for all our tireless work, our skills and our dedication. But financial gain is not an end, it is a means. If only an end, it ends in misery. How many extremely rich people are there who are not happy in life? Despite boundless wealth, many are sad and disappointed because the goal to amass more wealth leads to avarice and disregard for the welfare of their fellowmen. Their goal is to gain more and more wealth as if more is better. The drive to amass wealth soon consumes their entire being and leads to unhappiness and destruction. But don’t get me wrong, financial wealth is not wrong, it is not an evil. It is to us a gift from God which should be enjoyed. However, it is a gift that should be shared since we are called upon to be stewards of our wealth and duty bound to share it with others. Let me give you an example – I want everyone to stretch out in front of you, your 2 hands. How many of your fingers point away from you? Eight. How many of your fingers point back to you? 2 thumbs. Well, that is how your wealth should be, eight parts to share with others and 2 parts for you to enjoy. In scripture, Jesus said “ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God”. Did Jesus mean that wealth is wrong? No, it is a statement made by Jesus, highlighting the difficulty of a rich person entering the Kingdom of God due to the potential attachment to wealth over God. However, wealth is a gift from God and is wholesome if we remember that we are stewards of our wealth. So, remember the finger rule of wealth. 8 fingers to share with others and 2 fingers for us to fully enjoy.