So, when’s the last time you had your annual physical?  You know that “special time” of the year when we get poked, prodded and stuck to see how we’re really doing against the benchmark of acceptable physical standards or being measured against the baseline of the results from our last physical.  Not sure about you but I’ve yet to find a single person that actually looks forward to this annual pilgrimage where we get to experience the height of privacy invasion.  Most in fact distain it and go not of their own volition but go because they know the value of predictive and preventative medicine.  For those of us who would choose to forget we get that winsome reminder card in the mail that states, “It’s that time again!” Oh, joy. 

At any rate, I was thinking the other day about what we could learn by looking at the parallels of the physical examination to the examination of our inner self, to get at that soul level assessment of our “whoness.” Interestingly, the comment of a friend (who happens to be a doctor) came to mind that I believe sheds some invaluable light on this for us.  He says, “You can’t examine a fully clothed body.”  Wow, just think of the parallel.  In order to get a good look inside ourselves we have to disrobe, take off the veneer that “it’s all good” and put on the nakedness of transparency and invite others in to have a look.  Not an option but a requirement! Maybe this is why the all too familiar quote from Socrates has stood the test of time; “An unexamined life is not worth living.”  Certainly when we face the examination of our innermost self by others it seems no less invasive. Doesn’t it so often feel just like we’re being poked at and prodded as we wrestle with coming clean with others on how we’re really doing on the inside?  Just like the annual physical it too is something that we would most likely put off as long as possible given the option.  But just think how important it is for us to gain a healthy understanding of our inner condition and apply the appropriate principles of preventative care to our emotional and spiritual well being as well. We all know that research shows that there is a direct correlation between our physical and emotional/spiritual well being and vice versa.  No doubt we are apt to be much healthier for much longer within our whole being if we are purposeful to submit to life’s regular examinations.  I think it could be just what the doctor ordered.  Peace.