Allison Campbell Jensen

This morning’s golden dawn animated autumn’s leaves, even those already on the ground. The feeling of fresh hope with a new day reminded me of the morning of my baptism, some 13 years ago. That was not in autumn, however, but in spring–was the slant of the sun similar or the leading of the Spirit?

Then at church Fr. John turned around and transformed Matthew 22:1-14, which ends in “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In his sermon, this problematic Gospel passage became an affirmation of new life–beautiful to me as it resonated with my early reflections!

Photographers know how the slant of light changes everything. Today, as Jeff and I played tourist at the Landmark Center, I rediscovered this with my digital camera, as one image invites viewers into its depths, another appears flat as a theater set.

Today the sunlight and I held on as long as possible.

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Early October and the six o’clock church bell rings in the twilight as I untangle the branches and peek under to seek plump, purple raspberries. Bees, too, land and rise, leaving a branch that I lift to drone onto the next. I and they, all of us creatures, may appear peaceful yet I believe the bees share my sense of the shorter days. Do they fly a bit faster? Do they choose a riper berry? Do their insect eyes pause to take in the sunlight’s slant?

While the bees and I hoard, the trees prepare for coming darkness with light: the locust trees shed gold, the oaks don gleaming russet coats, the sumac flames.

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Three friends were diagnosed with breast cancer this year. So far, so good, for each of them. I’m grateful for that, yet at the same time mindful that more is needed: more awareness, more support, more research. So I was glad to learn about the Sage Screening Program for medically underserved women while researching “Donating a Cure” for the May issue of Mpls.St.Paul magazine. Paying the bills may be the last thing on the minds of patients and their families, which is why Pay it Forward is there to help. In-depth exploration of family history is offered by North Memorial’s Humphrey Cancer Center. These efforts and research by physicians and scientists such as Dr. Douglas Yee, head of the Masonic Cancer Center at the U, all are supported by funds raised at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, May 8. The race goes on because, as Yee says:Race for the Cure_Allison “Unless we cure everyone with breast cancer, we know we’re not good enough.”

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A dash of chutzpah distinguishes The Innovatives, whom I interviewed for the April 2011 Twin Cities Business, including Olga Selifonova, green chemistry entrepreneur, who wants to establish “the bio-based capital of the world in the Twin Cities.” Good on her for that ambitious goal. For Abir Sen, CEO of Bloom Health, the goal has been the same—improving the health care business—but he’s co-founded three companies along the way. And the force behind Medtronic‘s “hospital of the future” project, Paul Thompson, keeps finding new problems to solve in a company renowned for innovation. Jennifer Ford Ready revamped philanthropy with GiveMN. Engaging ideas, implementing changes, envisioning the future—these innovative Minnesotans are downright fresh.

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Recycle an aluminum can, save enough energy to power your TV for three hours. Hockey mom Pamela Huey shared this fact with me for the “Earth Day, Every Day” special section in the April issue of Mpls.St.Paul magazine. She was one of many encouraging people I spoke with who make intentional choices to be Earth-friendly. Passionate recycler Nancy Lo shares insights and information on her Trashbasher blog. Eric Hofstad, one of the Minnesota Energy Challenge competitors, keeps his thermostat set low in winter, no AC in summer—and avoids packaging at the market. Can you compete?

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Even among the primary colors and fun shapes of the decor of the Minneapolis Children’s Hospital, the Geek Squad’s orange wall stands out. A first among U.S. hospitals, the Geek Squad arrived at Children’s in 2009—services donated by Best Buy—to help patients and their families cope with glitches and smooth connections using technology, as told in my story in Minnesota Medicine.

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There’s so much I’ve forgotten in my decades of studying Chinese but memories rose to the surface like gold and calico koi to the delightful shreds provided by Deborah Fallows in her “Dreaming in Chinese.” She wrote about the tenderness that emerged in TV coverage after the Sichuan earthquake—and I remembered the man who guided me back to our hotel in Shanghai in 1980. A delightful gentleman, he spoke perfect English; it was my first full day in China and I did not yet know how rare his facility was then. After he escorted me to the gate to the walled foreigners’ hotel, I stopped him from leaving to ask where he learned it. He put his umbrella over his arm, bowed just a little, and said, “My father went to Harvard.” The immersion in the language in the next two months would begin me on my journey to speaking and reading Chinese—including two years at Yale (sorry, Harvard scion). The journey has not always been smooth. About six years later, in a small library in California, I told a man to “stop doing that.” He looked shocked and ran off. My native Chinese boss was, fortunately, amused that I had used the fourth tone instead of the second. “You called him a turtle,” she said, snickering. “That means ‘cuckold’ in Chinese.”

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While I served on the discovery team, a step in our search for a new rector for St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, I attended many meetings, consulted with parishioners, and even constructed a collage to convey my vision of our church in the future. (I’m a wordsmith—Darlene, a visual artist, depicted something really beautiful and stirring with images.) Because I am a writer, I also developed the resulting parish profile, which is linked to our new website’s Rector Search page. Fortunately, I had the help of the team, a bright bunch, and guidance from our talented interim Fr. Tim Hodapp, who worked in communications in the period between his service as a Roman Catholic priest and becoming a priest in the Episcopal Church. It’s an exciting time in our congregation, as we begin our search for a “joyful leader.”

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Children carry our hope for a better future—but are we providing them with the good health they’ll need to think, create, and work together to improve their world? Researchers from the U of M School of Public Health seeking answers to huge questions were eye-opening sources for my cover article in Advances Winter 2011 issue.

With projects like the 20+ year Children’s Health Study, results won’t be known for years. Simone French leads a seven-year effort to combat obesity among preschoolers by bringing in parents, Early Childhood and Family Education teachers, primary care providers—and shopkeepers. Ellen Demerath, co-leader of the Gopher Kids Study started at the Minnesota State Fair, is worried about our children. She says we need a “full-court press” to turn around the health threats associated with obesity. Because of chronic disease, the next generation of Americans faces a decreased life expectancy, which is bad news for everyone.

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Capturing the attention of lawmakers in St. Paul is a challenge because so many voices of committed people and worthwhile causes compete. In 2008, the Medical School wanted understanding and, if possible, help from the Minnesota State Legislature to promote education of primary care physicians. We knew our leadership, faculty, and medical students had the direct experience and passion to tell their stories to legislators. They would, however, benefit from a few facts. So, working with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and Academic Health Center public affairs team, I put together a one-page brief to help them prepare to talk face-to-face with their state senators and representatives.

The brief follows:

(more…)

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