Wearing the Jacket
In the whispers of old wisdom, where caution holds sway,
My grandmother's voice, like a soft shadow, lay.
“Don’t venture out bare,” she’d say with concern,
“Without your jacket, a cold you’ll surely earn!”
I smile, armed with science, knowledge vast and deep,
Understanding viruses, how they creep and leap.
Yet, I don the jacket, not for the cold's bite,
But for the warmth of her love, guarding me through the night.
It’s more than mere fabric, this coat that I wear,
It’s her legacy of love, stitched with utmost care.
As medicine advances, some old ways we leave,
Yet, in this jacket, past and present interweave.
Teaspoons of honey for coughs, wool socks for a fever—
Remedies from her era, in which she’s a believer.
Though now we have pills, vaccines, and precise tests,
Her timeless cures are among those that work best.
So, I wear this jacket, a bridge between times,
A garment of history, in love it entwines.
In each stitch, a lesson, in each thread, a tale,
Of how the past and present together prevail
Ali Darwiche
Ali Darwiche is a first-year medical student at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) with a deep passion for helping the underserved and advocating for disability rights. Born in Lebanon and immigrating to the U.S. at a young age, Ali is dedicated to serving Arab Americans in his community and beyond. He serves as Co-President of Medical Students of Middle Eastern Descent and hosts a disability focused podcast, Discovering Disabilities in Dearborn.. Before medical school, Ali worked as a health educator, delivering presentations to thousands of people on health-related topics. In his free time, Ali enjoys playing chess and soccer.