Welcome to Doc’s Corner
Here are some operating suggestions to help you benefit from these brief articles on a variety of topics. These writings are not required reading, but are intended to promote self-understanding and increased reflection about your life and the path you are on. Each article includes some questions to consider at the end. The length of the articles is 2 to 5 pages each. There will be no exams on this material, although life, as always, will test you dearly.
When you have finished this introduction section (Start Here), read Swing Low, Sweet Chariot next. The remaining topics can be read in any order, based on your preferences. I recommend reading about one article per month, then talking openly with your mentor (or other trusted person) about your own thoughts on the matter.
The following is a list of the articles in Doc’s Corner with a brief explanation of each:
Start Here – Use this introduction to get you started.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot – True story, to help you understand me and my military experience.
A New Definition of Success – The title explains what this one is about.
Flight Attitude – What determines the direction we’re traveling? Why do we often end up in situations we did not intend? Checking on our attitudes can provide clarity, accurate choices, and constructive change.
The Power of Kindness – Considers the importance of gentle strength rather than forceful control. If you like horses, you’ll like this story.
Call It Courage – A brief reminder of what veterans know and can bring to our people during troubled times.
Family Ties – A story about how one’s military experience inevitably alters one’s relationship with family and friends.
The Courage to Journey Within – This is about the importance of developing a deeper level of understanding about ourselves, which contributes to healing and to increased maturity.
Not So Friendly Fire – A reflection on being “triggered” by an unexpected event long after standing down from military service.
Good Grief! – Some thoughts on the nature of unrelenting sorrow, including steps to take toward healing, to let it all go, and to find peace.
Solitude or Isolation? An explanation of the important differences between these two concepts. Why is understanding the effects of Solitude and Isolation essential for our well-being?
These thoughts from an old Marine Corps Doc should get you started.
There are additional entries yet to come on topics such as personal financial management, resilience, and the value of learning from the natural world.
Semper Fidelis,
Alan Basham, M.A., Professor Emeritus
School of Psychology
Eastern Washington University