I met John

Grisham the year he pretty much self-published his first book, "A

Time To Kill." He gave me a copy, yep, the very first printing! I

remember his spirit and his personality, not the typical lawyer prototype

so many have come to expect from the profession. Meeting him and having

him inscribe that book to me remains a highlight of my writing career.

I've met other

successful authors over the past 18 years and had the opportunity to interview

a number in depth, but not many have ever made it into this column. I

don't really care how many books an author has written or sold, and "good"

publicity campaigns do not always get it. What I care about is soul.

Does the author's

work have soul? Does the author have soul? Or did he sell it at some point

in exchange for the almighty dollar, or just to be able to survive while

trying to follow a nearly eclipsed dream? Sadly, dreams are lost and souls

get sold everyday.

So when I meet

somebody who, on his or her journey and that's what it is, you know, it's

always a journey has not sold out, then I'm impressed. It is so easy to

give in to the many pressures of life that can hide from our view even

the very purpose for which we know we were born.

And what would

that be? Every major religion captures within its framework the essence

of what life is all about. Put simply, we are here to do unto our fellow

travelers as we would have them do unto us. Give love - get love. Care

- Be cared for. Give - Receive.

It really is

simple. Trouble is what we call our lives have become very complex. There's

rent or mortgages to be paid; clothing, food and other basic needs to

pay for; vehicles to purchase and gas to make them run; and oh, yes, quality

of time to spend with all those we know and love.

Just keeping

up with it all is a 25-hour-a-day ritual. Maintaining some state of mindfulness

regarding what it's all about well, now that's another story.

I love it when

my husband says, "Have I told you lately that I love you?" Those

are beautiful words. Yes, he's told me, and he lives a life that proves

it to me. I am extraordinarily blessed.

And that brings

me to my personal journey. I often feel that I was allowed to come to

earth to spend my time here reminding folks of what's really important.

Most of the time I do this in what I perceive to be very positive ways.

Occasionally, I may resort to what can be perceived by both myself and

others as negative efforts. The truth is, it's just all part of my journey

in the midst of which there are a number of dreams, visions and goals

of which, by the grace of God, I have not lost sight.

So when I meet

someone who is staying his or her course, who knows why he is here and

is following his heart to the limit, I am really impressed, because I

know how hard it is to do that.

I had the opportunity

this week to interview Marty Sullivan, M.D. at length. I got a glimpse

of Dr. Sullivan's journey. I referred to what he is doing as fighting

a battle. He corrected me.

We all have

our battles, sometimes the big ones can consume us. As the battle does

that, it truly is the rare individual who can recognize that the battle

is part of the journey. But rarer still is that individual who does not

perceive the challenges of life as battles, and who can walk on with confidence

toward the visions his soul makes clear along the way.

On his journey,

Dr. Sullivan is seeking to educate the public regarding the difference

between a cure and a healing, while promoting advancements in both areas.

He has been widely published and recently founded The Institute for Healing

in Society and Medicine after 20 years of experience in administration,

clinical research, and education in academic medicine at Duke University

Medical Center.

Dr. Sullivan

founded the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine and was the cofounder

of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine. He initiated the

S.E.A.R.C.H. study, Support Education And Research in Chronic Heart failure,

an ongoing project at Duke. His unique approach to the practice of medicine

and significant experience in physician education, clinical practice,

and program development may make him a real Renaissance Doc. I invite

you to check him out at www.healinginmedicine.org.

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