“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing.”                       — 1 Corinthians 13:2

The Harvard Study of Adult Development found that best predictor of a long life – above social class, IQ and even genes – is the presence of strong social ties and close relationships.

For most people, this is intuitive, based on lived experience. However, as naturopathic doctors, we often neglect to construct our approaches to patient care with this in mind. We are trained to treat a chief complaint, but what if the true root cause of the chief complaint is that our patient is lonely, or feeling hopeless, isolated or disconnected?

Provided strong relational ties is the core of vitality, fostering them is well worth our attention. It’s easier said than done. Relationships are complex and take an investment of time and effort. They can often be hard and demanding. High divorce rates and social isolation are not without reason, and sometimes it’s easier to give up on a partnership or friendship rather than endure the hardship.

There is a reason the first attribute of love that is provided is patience. Without patience to endure the days when you are frustrated or disagree with someone, there can be no grounds for a continued relationship. The etymology of the word patience is ‘long-suffering.’ Whether with a parent, sibling, spouse or friend, everyone can relate to a feeling of enduring the long-suffering that is inevitably required in any relationship that is permanent.

Only once patience is established can the tender and beautiful attributes of love take root and grow – love is kind, it does not envy or boast, it is not proud. It is not self-serving or easily angered. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

How wonderful that every day we get an opportunity to practice patience and a standing invitation to have life to the fullest. A shift in perspective is not a treatment modality that we study in school, but perhaps it is the most effective.

Learn more about NUHS’ Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program here.