Day 596 -- Dr. Lee

I learned late last night that Dr. Lee died suddenly of a heart attack. 

Dr. Lee was my chiropractor.  But he was more than that too.  He was the "Run Doctor" and the founder of the Albion Chiropractic Clinic that I've been visiting since we moved here five years ago. He was truly an impressive man -- involved in the community and continually seeking excellence in his profession.  You can read more about him here.

Dr. Lee made me feel like a million bucks every time I walked through the door, acted like everything I said was interesting, and always had a smile on his face.  I saw him frequently during my training for the Ironman as he was a genius at helping me take care of the nagging overuse injuries that would inevitably creep up on me.  I left each and every visit not only feeling physically better, but emotionally uplifted because of my interactions with him.  

I spent a lot of time thinking about Dr. Lee today.  My heart felt deeply sad and heavy.  All during my run in the melancholy rain, I thought about how big of an impact he made on so many people and how life would be different for all of us now that he was gone.  The unrelenting rain was a perfect setting to grieve and to contemplate once again the absolute fragility of life:

James 4:14 -- "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."

Even though he my chiropractor, Dr. Lee was my friend; there's no doubt in my mind about that.  As my friend, he reminded me how important it was to make people feel seen and heard -- like they truly matter, and I want to be more like him in that way.

Tonight, I'm praying for peace and comfort for his family.  But I am also thanking God that I had the chance to be under Dr. Lee's care during his time here.  I am grateful that I had a chance to know this man and to learn from  him.

Thank God for Dr. Lee!

Lord, I thank you for this amazing man.  Please bring peace and comfort to his family during this time.  Help me to learn from his example and put it into practice during the rest of the days you've given me.  Thank you for the reminder that each day -- each minute -- is precious.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Comments

Amber said…
I never met him myself but my Dad who lived right down the road from his practice raved about him for years. He was a great man from the sounds of everyone who knew him. Before my dad passed away when dad couldn't afford to pay for his Chiropractic visits because of being out of work for two plus year Dr. Lee made trades with him for working on his lawn mowers. Sounds like the world lost a great man. So sad to have to say goodbye to someone at just 55.
August 12, 2012 at 10:06 PM
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