Association Perspective
Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, Executive vice president and CEO of APhA
Recently one of my board members at APhA made the point that we must stand for principles, and I agree. So, I’ve decided to write this month’s column on the principle of not growing weary in doing good, which is something I’ve heard a thousand times. But until today I really didn’t think deeply about this.
Have you ever been weary? It’s not a word we use much in modern language. I perused all the usual sources for definitions to see if I could find an expression that best conveys the concept of being weary. Webster’s probably hits it the closest with the idea that weary means being exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness. Mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted.
So how does one grow weary in doing good? I could argue that it’s the daily work of every pharmacist, pharmacy technician, student pharmacist, and researcher in America. Core to our professional work is doing good. We do it every day, endlessly, one patient at a time, one discovery at a time, one prescription at a time, hundreds of times a day, and tens of thousands of times a year. And often we get no thanks, no praise…nothing. Sometimes we even get hateful speech, angry patients, and occasionally witness violence against health care workers. It’s particularly hurtful when we work so hard to ensure folks get their medicines and ensure our communities are cared for, only to have physician colleagues and organized medicine make statements that we aren’t “trained” to take care of patients.
And it’s very hard when we advocate, hold to our principles and defend our profession—only to get stones cast because, without complete understanding, those who are angry lash out with hurtful words.
Yet we all get back up, turn the other cheek, and do what we were trained to do. We do good. We keep doing more good because we know that it’s the right thing to do.
But it does sometimes get very wearisome. We need seasons of refreshing. And I think so many in our profession need a break. It’s time that we not only have a break, but a breakthrough. We need something positive to happen not just to us individually, but as a profession. We need it to break our weariness.
Looking deeper into the concept of ‘not growing weary in doing good,’ I discovered that there is more to the phrase than is oft quoted. The entire writing from the ancient book of Ephesians says, “Do not grow weary in doing good because at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Regardless of your perspective, the “why” we should continue to do good is in part wrapped up in this idea that there is hope for a great breakthrough.
I happen to believe that pharmacy is on the cusp of a great breakthrough. In DC and in the states, I’m seeing the winds of change blowing—and not a breeze. It’s a real change. Just like a kite is lifted to a beautiful flight, I feel like we are about to be lifted to new heights. I hope you feel it, too. And if you don’t, my hope is that you take time for a season of refreshing, then keep doing even more good. A breakthrough is coming.
For every pharmacist. For all of pharmacy. ■