Sharing My Screen
An Editor’s Farewell
Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang
It is the hallmark of any great institution that it includes more people who worry about what kind of people they are than people who don’t worry about what kind of people they are. It might not be the most glamorous situation, but it does provide something precious: Hope.
No one pulls their PIV card out in the morning and comes within NIH’s gates—or logs on from home—without the faith that their work somehow contributes to the alleviation of suffering in the world. We spend our healthy years trying to assure health for ourselves and for others. Nothing to apologize for there.
To do this kind of work in your own hometown, among people you admire, who make you laugh, who provide banking services, recreation, friendship, spiritual guidance, free flu shots, the opportunity to give blood, immense and relentless education, and employment as wide as you can imagine—all within a 25-minute bike ride from home—sounds like love to me.
It was my pleasure, and my fortune, as NIH Record editor to help provide this great institution’s biweekly love letters to itself for almost 34 years.
We used to call it “The Second Best Thing About Payday.” But it always meant more to me than a paycheck. I hope that was evident.—Rich McManus