Posted by By Wendy Renneke
In September 2021, I wrote a LINK article titled “Three Words”. Each word, Gratitude, Resilience, and Hope, were chosen as we crossed the threshold into the new beginning of the last three years as an intentional focus for the year ahead. Little did I know, with the selection of the first word – each would act as a rudder for me as we faced fear, uncertainty, surges and successes in the midst of the pandemic ahead of us.
We now find ourselves in the third month of 2022 after completing what I recall as the longest, shortest two years of our lives. In January, my eyes drifted back to those three words positioned above my desk. Once again, I wondered what word might act as a rudder through each challenge, win, discovery and opportunity in 2022. I concluded that in 2022, I wish for us all courage and a courageous spirit to carry us forward.
I once heard someone say that courage is fear that has said its prayers. I believe courage is not only something that carries you to the door to face your trials, but courage is also the voice that compels us to persevere in and through our challenges. Then, as we begin to see our struggles in the rear-view mirror, courage encourages us to listen to the lessons we learned from weathering the storms and to apply our newfound wisdom in ways that benefit our families, teams and communities long into the future.
As a member of the Annual Meeting Design Team in 2020 when we pivoted from live to a virtual annual meeting, then again in 2021 when we were able to witness many of us reuniting in Nashville to celebrate the successes of our community while we learned and grew from the shared wisdom of our members, leaders and vendors, and now in 2022 as Chair of the AMDT, I am drawn once again to reflect on the value of the combined engagement and the courageous actions of our AHRA community.
As we look forward to our 50th Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in July, I am reminded that the strength of our beloved AHRA cannot be attributed to a single member, committee, process or leader. The strength of our community continues to be built upon the sum of our parts! In particular, our solidity is built on the courageous spirit of our membership as we continue forward as servant leaders, sharing our knowledge, lessons learned and experiences with one another for the benefit of our whole. This engagement will continue to be the heart and fuel that propels the AHRA into and far beyond the 5oth year.
I would personally like to thank each member who gives of their time to volunteer on a committee, each leader who ensures the integrity and character of the AHRA is visible in our actions, words and processes and each one of you again, as members, for taking the time to listen, learn and network with your peers through the AHRA – you are the inherent strength of the AHRA and I couldn’t be more proud to be one of you.
And so – until we can greet one another in person, in Phoenix, I wish you all a courageous spirit in 2022, and that courage continues to compel your engagement and the amazing work you do as leaders in healthcare. You are our heart and soul of the AHRA and I can’t wait to celebrate you as we move toward our 50th annual meeting in Phoenix where we will celebrate this tremendous milestone and reassert our goals and aspirations for the next 50 years to come! I cannot wait to see you there!
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