10, Going on 92

Today is my dad's 92nd birthday.  It was a nice, low-key gala.  A few relatives came over, along with a couple of friends, and so there were two cakes.  But all the candles got blown out fine.

My dad was a doctor for over 50 years.  He loved being a doctor.  Absolutely loved it.  I remember when he had quadruple bipass surgery, he said that (other than weekends and normal vacations), it was the first time he'd missed a day of work in 39 years.

There are many people who can say that they always knew what they wanted to do when they grew up.  My father is one of the few who can actually prove it.  And not just prove it, but do so in a way that shows that everything wonderful he did with his life is merely something that he said he would always do, and he lived up to his word.

You see, when my father was only 10 years old, he wrote a poem.  His father (my grandfather) was so impressed with it, that he had it printed up in a little pamphlet that he gave out.  I still have a copy.  The words stand the core of his whole life.

On the front, it says – “Written by Edward I. Elisberg.  June – 1931.”

Open up the pamphlet, and this is what you get inside:  


I Want to Be a Doctor
By Edward I Elisberg 

I want to be a Doctor
   to get over runnin’ away
From all the dreadful accidents
   that can happen in a day
To give when someone’s in distress
   A kind and helping hand
To help the sick and wounded
   stay upon this land
To assure when hope is dying
   that everything’s alright
That all is going splendid
  he’ll be better in a night.

I don’t want to be a doctor
    on account of pretty nurses
I don’t want to be a doctor
  Just because of rich men’s purse’s
And the thought from my mind is far
   To be a doctor just for the D-R

I want to be a Doctor
   to keep all people livin’
I want to be a Doctor
   so I’m always always givin’
But the real reason from the beginning
  in my mind has stood
I want to be a Doctor
  To do the world some good.
 


Edward I. Elisberg
Age 10