I had the distinct pleasure of listening to Lawrence Cahalin give the Linda Crane memorial lecture this year at APTA's Combined Sections Meeting. I always love listening to Larry talk, as he both challenges and entertains his listeners. During this lecture, he mentioned how “chance encounters” had influenced both his career and that of Linda Crane (see the full text of the lecture in this issue). Since that time, I have been musing about “chance encounters.”
I, too, have had those experiences that occur unexpectedly and change everything. The phone rings and someone asks me to work with a film crew to make a DVD. A physician seeks input on how to help a patient who is struggling with a physical limitation. A medical student asks why I am working with a patient recovering from cancer treatment. An abstract of a paper catches my eye, and I end up going in a new direction in my research.
I don't mention these encounters to highlight how unique I am–I think we all have had these experiences. However, as I reflect further, I realize that we can be those “chance encounters” for others. We can influence so many people and situations without knowing it. Every patient encounter, which we may consider routine, can be important to a patient's trajectory for recovery. We can influence our peers through our comments, whether positive or negative. We can influence students to excel or to become discouraged. The realization that we influence others can be rewarding and humbling at the same time.
In this issue, you will find a great diversity of subjects and types of papers. They are all encompassed by cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. I hope that reading the works of these talented authors and leaders will be a “chance encounter” for you and inspire a new direction. So, as you treat your next patient, think about writing up a case study. As you interact with students, think about an educational model paper. As you encounter your colleagues, look for ways to bring together a team to research a question shared by all. We would love to be influenced by your “chance encounters!” Take a chance and watch how it helps you grow.