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by Dr. Swati Jha
Field notesCare

A Morning at the Clinic

July 14, 20256 min read
A Morning at the Clinic

We opened the shutters before the heat set in. Someone had left marigolds at the door. Inside, fans turned the air into a slow river.

I have learned that time in a waiting room is not the enemy; it is a kind of listening. People arrive with stories, not just symptoms.

Small rituals

A stool by the window, a steel cup, a notebook. I write just enough to remember the person, not the disease.

Care begins when you do not rush the story.
A warm steel cup of tea on a clinic desk.
A warm steel cup of tea on a clinic desk.

By noon, we had seen thirteen patients. We prescribed medicines, yes, but also rest, shade, and a promise to return next week.