Continued …
My eyes then fixated on his lifespan: 1941 – 2019. What I then started contemplating was not the fact that he had lived 78 full years but what he had done with those years. I will call those years his “dash” years. I looked up and glanced around the room to see who all was gathering to honor this remarkable man. As I looked at each individual, I scanned my memory to recall how this man had crossed paths with that person and more importantly, what kind of an impact had he made on that person’s life.
My friend wore many different hats as he had diverse interests and talents. He was a husband first and he was leaving behind a grieving widow. He was a dad and a stepdad. He also very proudly wore the hat of a grandfather. He was an entrepreneur and a self-employed business owner. He was a leader in his church and gave of his time and talents. He was an avid golfer and spent more time on the golf course after his retirement. He also kept busy in his later years being an active member of a community service organization and stayed active with local and state politics.
Being part of a large family and involved in so many facets of life it was no surprise that the memorial service would soon be at maximum capacity. This gentleman had come into contact with many people in his lifetime and had made an impact on many of them. It caused me to start reflecting on my life. What will my dash years contain? Will people feel like I have left a positive impact in their life?
Being in the latter stage of my career, I have begun to formulate and live out my plans of leaving the best legacy that I can. I feel that as long as I have a pulse, I will have a purpose. I have realized that I am definitely in the mentorship stage of my life and have become somewhat passionate about it. First of all, we never stop being in a position of mentorship to our children. They will never be too old to not need a respected parent to look up to, emulate, and glean knowledge from. I still thoroughly enjoy being a mentor in my profession. I look for opportunities to teach students who are eager to soak up as much information as they can and learn more about the “art of medicine”.
I have also been involved as a mentor in a men’s leadership group through my church. There are many young people seeking good examples of people who are successful, influential and enjoy what they do. They need to see that one can have a good work/life balance and have a positive influence on others.
It is with this desire to have an impact during my dash years that inspired me to get involved with the Hillsborough County Medical Association, the Florida Medical Association, and the American Medical Association. As some of you know, I recently finished a second term as president of the HCMA. I did not want to look back at the end of my career and wish that I had done something to correct the course of the medical profession. This quote also struck a chord inside me:
“Every person owes a part of their time and money to the business or industry in which they are engaged. No person has a moral right to withhold their support from an organization that is striving to improve the conditions within their sphere.” – President Theodore Roosevelt
I love the profession of medicine, and it has been very good to me and my family. I am enjoying not only giving back to my profession but also sewing into the lives of those around me in other areas of my life. It is with these priorities that partly led me to changing the way I practice medicine and forming MACMED Concierge Family Medicine. I feel that by spending more time with those of you that have joined MACMED I will be able to return to the values for which I went into medicine. Thank you for joining me on this new journey.
Let me ask you. What are you doing with your dash years?
Unfortunately I am unable to do much in my dash years, but I care for my wife as best I can, and she cares for me.
We are both proud to be members of Dr. Cromer’s MACMED medical service.
Dr. Cromer has been our PCP for 30 years.
Thank you Dr. Cromer
Dr. Cromer thank you for sharing your “dash years” plan with me. I also have a passion for my business which you know is plumbing contracting. I am about to be 76 and I still cannot bring myself to the point that I should think about retiring. I now have 4 grandsons that have joined the company, and it seems it has given me a renewed enthusiasm to continue on. I love mentoring them and watching them grow and learn. I certainly do not work as hard and long as I once did, but being involved is still very rewarding. It blesses Sherry and I that we have a fourth generation of family to carry on the company legacy. We wish you prosperity and success as you move forward.
Well said, my friend. You have been mine and Elaine’s Doctor for over 33 years. We are excited for you as you enter this new phase of your career and life.
Legacy is important and that we endeavor to leave a good one it is something all should seek to do. When I retired 5 years ago as a Pastor, one of the committee chairs told me “you aren’t retiring, you are repurposing.” He was exactly right because in these 5 years I have served as an Interim in 4 churches. Led Pastor Prayer groups, provided encouragement to church staffs and organizations on leadership. Been blessed by the Lord to serve as President of a foundation which assist churches in the Tampa Bay area.
There are times someone will say to me that it doesn’t sound like you have retired. When they do I always remember the wisdom of my father who told me “when you retire, you have to have a reason to get up in the morning.” I did, I do and for that I am grateful.
To borrow a thought from a friend who said “I want to finish strong”. Recently you found something going on with my heart. You referred me and now I am recovering comfortably. I was thinking the other day that probably for that reason the Lord is providing me more time to see Him glorified in my life. God used you to His glory and acknowledged your legacy.
God bless you Dr. Cromer and look forward to seeing you.
Michael, I’ve known you for many years, got you involved in the HCMA and very proud that I did. Part of your legacy is sure to be your involvement with the organization, as well as organized medicine itself. It was not until the last few years that you became my primary, and due to insurance issues, many of us have joined your MACMED concierge practice. I wish you the best, many more years practicing, and for both of us, to reap the benefits of the legacy you leave.
I was called to ministry in the United Methodist Church in 1995 and still serve proudly in my dash years. Dr. Cromer has been my primary doctor for over 20 years and I credit him with saving my life in 2020.