12/21/2024    Joel Lang, DPM

NM Podiatrist Writes Memoir

It is admirable that Dr. Meltzer took the time and
effort to write a memoir. While attending a memoir
writing class, I was also motivated to do the
same. My intended audience was not so much the
profession or my colleagues, but for my family
only. I was born in a somewhat orthodox Jewish
family. My elders were not anxious or interested
is sharing their history and experiences. As a
result, I know little about those who came before
me. I felt it was important for my decedents to
know about some of the history of their family and
to give them information about their heritage.

After my parents died, I purchased a number of
handheld recorders and tapes and gave them to my
surviving aunts an uncles asking them to tell some
stories of their past. Only one uncle complied and
produced a surprising number of tapes including
his experiences as an orphan, and in the Pacific
during WWII, his subsequent recovery from injuries
and his life experiences beyond. I was so grateful
for those insights. After he died, I subsequently
gave those tapes to his children who were grateful
to have them.

My 390-page memoir was published in a very limited
edition, for my family only. It is subtitled,
"What I Learned and When I Learned It". It is an
anthology of life lessons passed on including the
full context of how each lesson was learned. Most
were positive, some amusing, but some were not. It
was written with brutal honesty, relating the
successes and exposing some of the ugly warts. It
took some courage to create an honest presentation
and let everyone know that all of us are wonderful
in some ways and imperfect in others.

Every family member who responded to me thanked me
for the gift of a glimpse into some family history
and wisdom and lessons derived. One grandchild
told me that she has read it through twice and
keeps in on her nightstand.

I encourage everyone to give their family that
"gift"; to take the time to tell them how they
came to be who they are, and from whom they came.

Joel Lang, DPM, Cheverly, MD (retired)

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