Mixed Practice

Sometimes, you get these startling moments of clarity. Just moments, most often in an average, mundane sort of setting, and then everything is different.

Today I had a 3 year old cavalier King Charles spaniel limp into my consult room. And as I explained to the owner the mechanisms, grades and treatment of patellar luxation, I could suddenly hear myself. Really clearly. As if I was sitting back watching this scene, even while I was talking. I heard the inflections in my voice, the tone, the pitch; I could hear my own accent, and strangest of all I heard the easy confidence and five years of training. And suddenly the Me who was watching thought: Hey, I sound exactly like a real vet! Wow! The Me who was Talking was a bit surprised by this thought from the Me who was Watching; but the former kept talking even while being aware that all this was going on and the latter was somewhat amused by this whole thing. It lasted just moments, but my entire world had shifted. The moment passed, and the owner nodded, listening to my explanation, unaware that any of this was going on. I kept talking.