There have been countless references over the years to the “art and science” of medicine. I, for one, certainly have embraced both in my long career as a physician in internal medicine. However, I have always had a special connection to the art part.

My late mother was an artist, and so I grew up with art everywhere.

This influence also percolated into my pre-med college education, as my undergraduate degree was in architecture and urban planning.

Before recently starting my own business, I worked for the same organization for 25 years. I had at least a dozen or so of my mother’s paintings in my office suite, with some of the special ones in my exam rooms. Every time my office would move over the years, the paintings moved with me.

Each of my two exam rooms had a “tasteful” nude painting from the mid-1980s when my mother was inspired by a series of life drawing classes she was taking. My two rooms also had a more abstract painting to balance out the optics.

There were quite a few of her paintings in the immediate hallways. I enjoyed the fact that every day, while taking care of patients, I was surrounded by art.

Many times my patients would strike up a conversation about a particular painting, and it was always fascinating to me that they–sometimes unexpectedly so–would have such a deep appreciation for the artwork.

One such experience I shall never forget occurred in 2017.

One of my lovely patients in her mid-seventies lived two states away in Montana, but would travel to my office in Seattle, WA, for her annual exam.

On that particular day in early March, I had entered the exam room to start her physical and noticed that she was standing up, looking intently at one of the paintings, as if in an art gallery. My entrance seemed to have startled her just a little, as her gaze had been so intense.

She recovered quickly, we chatted about other subjects, and then moved forward with our medical discussion and physical exam.

Imagine my surprise when, just days later, I received a beautiful letter in the mail from her, including a photograph. It was a story about that day and about that particular painting.

She has been kind to let me share this experience publicly, including her letter verbatim.

I have read this letter many times over the years, and each time it brings a beautiful tear to my eye.

Perhaps it is just the wondrous human connection, especially over art and nature. My mother passed away in 2009, so it is also lovely to connect this special memory to her.

The title of my mother’s painting? Migration. And yes, although quite abstract, it was created in the context of experiencing the vibrant beauty of seabirds flocking along the ocean shore.

Art is everywhere, all around us, and in nature.
It connects us.
It is part of medicine and part of caring for people.
It is my truth.

This article originally appeared on KevinMD.com and Doctors on Social Media. It was republished with the author’s permission.☤