Dr. MW and I have been friends since our medical student days, he and his wife G, would make every effort to get together during my brief passages through Miami as I got involved in International Medicine.
We call our sessions Schmooze sessions, after a Yiddische word for pleasant chatting. Normally we would get together for a prolonged dinner, and then continue our conversation at his house and to the breakfast of, typically, lox and bagels..It was not unusual for us to chat for hours and hours on end, aided and abetted by wines from around the world, and needless to say priceless dinners at some of the best restaurants in Miami.
Our last dinner together in February 2020 was at Mazzi Cucina a small Italian eatery in North Miami Beach and as always memorable. What we did not realize was shutdown and social isolation was just around the corner and eight months since that dinner, we have not seen each other ..
In Cuba, the practice of Psychology is very advanced and I have been lucky to work with some excellent psychologists. Cary is one of best psychologists in Havana and we had talked about the psychological price of this social isolation.
In answer to a chat we had, Dr MW had this to say:
Just thinking about what Cari said, about psychologically it’s difficult for the three of us not to see each other. Makes a lot of sense. Fortunately the three of us have some qualities which will help us get through this: namely, we are all both patient and mature. We have already done much traveling even though there are many places still to see. But for the most part the three of us have travelled far more than the average person our age will travel in a lifetime. It’s important during quarantine to step back and look back over all the memories of terrific experiences. Of that we have many. We can also pause and think of how beautifully our children are developing. My point is that with all these lovely memories we can find the patience to wait before more travel begins and before more restaurant visits begin. I am content. I am happy here in my home. So if we have to wait another 6 to 12 months or longer there is still much richness in our lives.
Solo pensando en lo que dijo Cari, sobre psicológicamente es difícil para los tres no vernos. Tiene mucho sentido. Afortunadamente, los tres tenemos algunas cualidades que nos ayudarán a superar esto: es decir, todos somos pacientes y maduros. Ya hemos viajado mucho a pesar de que todavía quedan muchos lugares por ver. Pero en su mayor parte, los tres hemos viajado mucho más de lo que la persona promedio de nuestra edad viajará en su vida. Es importante durante la cuarentena dar un paso atrás y recordar todos los recuerdos de experiencias fabulosas. De eso tenemos muchos. También podemos hacer una pausa y pensar en lo bien que se están desarrollando nuestros hijos. Mi punto es que con todos estos hermosos recuerdos podemos encontrar la paciencia para esperar antes de que comiencen más viajes y antes de que comiencen más visitas a restaurantes. Estoy contento. Soy feliz aquí en mi casa. Entonces, si tenemos que esperar otros 6 a 12 meses o más, todavía hay mucha riqueza en nuestras vidas.
Here is a typical dinner of ours, much like our last dinner together.
Friendships are such worthwhile investments in time, one has to give of oneself and slowly cultivate and see it grow and blossom. My friendship with Dr MW and his wife G has been one like that and each and every time, our reunion gushes forth and reinforces our friendship.
It is so pleasant JUST to think of the multitudes of dinners shared by the three of us in many restaurants in Miami.
Our good times, just the remembrances of those, would keep us busy for a while.
During the year 2019, I do not think I was anywhere for more than about a few days.. it was a wonderful wonderful year for travels.. Havana Miami Paris Doha Cochin Kuala Lumpur Bangkok Siem Reap Bogota Buenos Aires Rapa Nui etc. Feels good just to think about them.
Yes we will wait this one out, Dr MW. We have a wealth that only increases in the pleasure it gives, our memories and our conversations and our larger family (our mischpochah) and the planet itself .
The reaction from Cuba was incredible, to the message from Dr MW that I forwarded. Cubans are pure in their reactions to what they perceive to be genuine sentiments. My Cuban sister was so overwhelmed to read the message, as we are all missing each other.
You offered comfort, Dr MW, mon petit frere, to a lot of people.
and a nice dinner with similar wines await you at the Little Casita in La Habana.. and a short walk along the malecon afterwards..
