We doctors participate in a retreat every year to discuss our working arrangement, clear the air and plan for the future. And we’re smart enough to have a facilitator who helps us be clear in our communication. Dr.Stella and I have worked together for 23 years — no let me re-phrase that —- 23 wonderful years. I feel blessed.
I wanted to give you a quick note to personally thank you for your dedication to our relationship. I wholeheartedly believe we have made each other better. I admire the pride you have in what you do. Most of all, I appreciate the respect and consideration you have shown to all of us, on a personal as well as a professional level.
Twenty-three years ago was the beginning of a very personal journey for me, and the expression of a heartfelt desire to work with a like-minded person and develop a meaningful work relationship.
Our relationship’s success is so important! Many doctors acquire personality traits such as perfectionism, compulsiveness, as well as “I want it my way”. Many doctors take pride in being married to the practice. But we have always made our families a priority and allowed each other to make motherhood our priority, equal to dentistry.
I consider myself lucky to have spent 23 years together. We’ve developed our own independent identity. We have successfully stood by each other. Many group practices fail because of too many egos. We thrive because we appreciate each other’s strengths.
Dr. Stella is understanding, caring, and thoughtful towards our patients, as well as to me. Often it’s up to the senior (ouch) doctor to shoulder the burden of keeping the partnership together. But not so here. It’s a delight to share our work days together. She is happy with herself — as an individual, as a doctor, a spouse and a mother and it rubs off on me.
Whom you pick in a work partnership is AS important as whom you pick as a spouse. Happiness is based on simple common sense – listen to each other; respect each other; have fun together. Remember that as marriage is a dance – so is our relationship, and your partner can dance only as well as you let her. We spend a lot of energy on our relationship so we can grow together, while also juggling career, work, marriage, and family. And then …. we chose Dr.Chauhan to join us and the dance goes on .
Ironically, we all ended up better at work. Three parts made a great whole.
The wise words of Kahlil Gibran are worth remembering.
” You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. ”
