Feeling Thankful

I looked into the VC Notes archive and found a message I wrote on a previous Thanksgiving that I believe still resonates today:

I would like to extend my gratitude to each of you for your commitment to the pursuit of excellence and your dedication to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  Thank you for the choices you make that are in turn making us a stronger organization.  Remember:

• It is easier to remain the same than to change – you have committed to the hard work of change.
  
  
• It is easy to leave challenges unaddressed – every day I see you choose to tackle the difficult challenges.
  
  
• It is easier to accept mediocrity than to push limits – we are pushing limits with technology, with new programs and with a willing spirit to try new ways to solve old problems.
  
  
• It is easier to be impatient and quit than it is to persevere – thank you for your perseverance.

To these words I would only add this:  Doing the hard work of change in the pursuit of excellence can be exhausting.  I hope you find time during this holiday season to take care of yourself – recharge and renew – so that you can continue to bring the very best to the world around you.

To those of you who are working today, taking care of our patients and their loved ones, I offer a special thank you.

Through contributions all of you are making to a total team effort – you are creating A Healthier Mississippi.