This afternoon, I went to the doctor. No, not an acupuncturist. No, not an Ayurvedic doctor. No, not a Reiki master. A good old regular Western doctor. You know, the one that checks your blood pressure and listens to your heartbeat (even though I don’t think they really do, because they’re moving that thing around my chest and back pretty damn quick). Anyway, I needed to have some routine blood work done, so I reluctantly made an appointment. One of the reasons I’ve been hesitant going to doctors is because they tend to advocate the ‘a pill for every ill’ mentality. However, I’ve matured to the extent that I now see how helpful and amazing they can be in terms of diagnosing and treating certain conditions. There is a place for Eastern healing, and there is a place for Western healing. An integrative approach is an intelligent approach. Another reason I was not feeling gleeful about trekking to the doctor’s office was due to the fact that nearly every Western doctor’s office I’ve visited has included a LONG wait, regardless of appointment time (welcome to America). My opinion of many doctors based on my previous experience was that they lacked bedside manner, compassion, and kindness. That was my relatively ignorant opinion… UNTIL TODAY!

Upon walking in the door of the clean office, I was greeted by the woman at the desk. Within fifteen minutes (best fifteen minutes ever), I was warmly welcomed by Dr. Nudelman… ‘Hey, is there a flower child in here waiting to be seen?’ NOTE: I was wearing flowers in my hair and looked like a total hippie. I laughed, and he took me into his office to learn more about me. He was absolutely hilarious and sarcastic, and I felt like I was with a great friend. He asked me intriguing questions about my life, my career, and my feelings. I felt truly nourished by our introduction and would not have wanted to be anywhere else. We were totally present with each other, and time stopped. He was no longer separate from me. He was no longer a doctor. But he was a healer. Mind you, this is all in his office– not even the examination room. He then performed a comprehensive examination and when I told him what I do for a living, he was fascinated and curious. We joked about diets and food, and when I told him I am yoga teacher, he asked me if I teach it in Iceland (get it? Frozen Yoga– Frozen Yogurt). I just love him.

Speaking of LOVE, those fifteen minutes of bliss waiting in the waiting room were occupied by myself and a sweet man… having a conversation. The man had this HUGE smile on his face for no apparent reason. His wife was being seen by the doctor, and he was waiting for her. He kept looking at me, so I finally looked at him and smiled. IMMEDIATELY, he asked me, ‘Guess how old I am?’ I paused, looked at him, and replied…. ‘I think you’re in your early sixties’. I nearly bit my tongue after that, because I have this habit of being totally honest. And I was. He started laughing hysterically. I didn’t know what to think. He told me he was 88. I nearly fell out of my chair. He seriously looked 62 and a half. He continued to tell me his whole life story and his travels and his work and how he landed in Los Angeles with his wife. The best part of this is that he and his wife have been married for 61 years. SIXTY ONE YEARS!!!!!! 22,279 DAYS!!!!! 534,715 HOURS!!!!!!!! Now, of course this is simultaneously common and rare. What I mean by that is, seldom do I actually meet people who have been married for that long. In my generation, the rate of divorce is higher than the rate of lasting marriage. However, I know there are people who stay married. I see them. There was something very special and different about this couple though, and it kindled a flame deep within my soul. When his wife re-entered the waiting room, he quickly walked over to her, while saying, ‘Sweetheart, wait for me. I will give you my hand to hold.’ Literally. Those words. I seriously had to hold back tears. I was witnessing love. It was there. In the room. I was part of it. It was real and palpable. In the past, I’ve nearly deemed long term relationships impossible and unnatural, but after witnessing today’s magic, I was proven wrong.

Every experience has some important message for us if we are open to receiving it.

Love, Doctors, and Frozen Yogurt. Heaven.

Shayna Hiller

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