Last week, I shared that our summer took an unexpected turn when my husband had a serious fall. Since then, we’ve been navigating an even more challenging road—one that has included surgery, months of immobility ahead, and a long road of rehabilitation.

I want to thank so many of you who reached out with kind words and heartfelt messages. Your support has meant more than I can say.

I’ve been writing On Track Tuesday every week for over 12 years, and over that time, I’ve had people say, “You need to turn these into a coffee table book.” That means so much to me! It reminds me that these stories, these moments of reflection, are resonating with you, too.

I just may do this, one day! 

When life delivers these sudden changes, we often find ourselves asking Why? Why is this happening now? What am I supposed to learn from this?

And sometimes—if we pay close enough attention—we start to see small signs.

For example, my mom had just been staying with us for a couple of weeks, and we couldn’t fit her walker in our car when she left. I felt bad at the time—but we knew she’d be coming back in a couple of weeks, so I wasn’t too concerned. As it turns out, that same walker is now exactly what we needed for Paul. What felt like a small frustration became a quiet blessing.

And then there’s the couch.

We had given our recliner couch to my brother for a little while, and he recently gave it back to us. It just so happens that this couch has a built-in recliner—something we didn’t have before—and now, it’s exactly what Paul needs for his recovery. The timing couldn’t have been better.

And our annual fundraiser—KawagaMonster Lakefest—is an event I run every year on our lake to support the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. We had to postpone this year’s event due to a scheduling conflict. At the time, many of us were disappointed.

But looking back, this past weekend turned out to be when Paul needed surgery. Had the event gone forward, we would have had to cancel it anyway. Another gentle reminder that sometimes things unfold just as they need to—even when we don’t see it at first.

These moments felt serendipitous, as though life was gently rearranging things behind the scenes so we could show up where we were truly needed.

When I asked Paul what he thought the universe might be trying to say, his response was simple but wise:

“Be present. Live in the present.”

It reminded me of something I often share in my presentations and something I strive to live by every day:

W.I.N. – What’s Important Now.

Whether I’m trying to quiet my thoughts at night and remind myself that sleep is what’s important now,

or when I’m working—focusing fully on work,

or with my family—giving them my full attention…

The power of presence is everything.

And this applies to clinical practice as well.

How often do we find ourselves on autopilot—thinking of what’s for dinner, the errands we need to run, or what’s waiting in our inbox?

But when we step back into the moment—fully present for the patient in our chair, our colleague beside us, the conversation at hand, or even a simple shared laugh—we W.I.N.

So this week, whatever you're facing, I encourage you to pause and ask:

What’s Important Now?

Because no matter what curveballs come our way, this moment is all we really have.

Let’s keep each other On Track,

Kathleen

Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BSc ~ Founder | President