Sweat the Small Stuff…

I am reminded, time and again

The little things are the ones that cause pain

In medicine- and in life, things that seem inconsequential

End up having effects monumental

Those annoying issues that seem to be

Distracting you from the important stuff merely

Promptly get forgotten only to rear their ugly heads

In a crisis, when you realize ignoring those issues has led

To the conundrum that you are now forced to face

Those peaky issues now occupy a prominent place

Among the list of things that need most attention

(When ironically that was not your intention)

*

I try to learn from my mistakes

Often quite high are the stakes

In medicine and in life, therefore

I need to pay attention some more

To every detail, no matter how small

After all, a nail can make a kingdom fall

The one thing that I ignore because time I lack

Is the one that would bite me, set me back..