Lamp Light   Under a lamp, late at night, I am reading cardiac physiology. Sharp shadows from my hands divide the text and The sting in my eyes feels like thirst. A day dream steals my mind and takes me to a place I’ve been before. There is a rising generous feeling – a slow leap in my chest. It’s a dream of aspirations in a place with wide sidewalks and cordial greetings.  A place where service stands naturally above personal gain.  A doctor is there. But these images are not so clear as they once were. Perhaps the scenery is wrong or maybe the whole idea. It fades quite fast. My clock is set for 6:30 and this chapter is not done.   by James Davis, MSI