There Was a Female Doctor Teaching at the University’s Military Department

Theres a lecturer at the universitys Defence Studies departmentDr. Eleanor Barnes. Shes spent her entire career working as a paediatrician at a London childrens hospital. Dr. Barnes shared something rather curious from her own life. Despite being a doctor herself, her children always seemed to catch every infection imaginable. They would come down with one virus or another all the time, giving her a fair challenge trying to nurse them back to health. Still, the kids were always bright and full of energy.

Naturally, Dr. Barnes followed good hygiene at homeshed shower the moment she got in, changed clothes right away, thoroughly washed her hands. And yet, her children seemed to catch every single thing that her patients had, almost as if those tricky germs slipped through all her precautions. Whenever she had an especially tough day on the wards, her children would always, without fail, fall ill soon after. She tried everything: giving them vitamins, encouraging outdoor play, ensuring they kept active. Nothing worked, and eventually this left her completely despondent.

Then one day, after an especially exhausting day with a difficult case, Dr. Barnes couldnt face heading straight home. She dreaded the thought of her little ones getting sick again. Instead, she decided to treat herself and went to the Odeon cinema to watch the latest Indiana Jones film. After the movie, feeling oddly guilty but also uplifted, she finally went home. To her surprise, her children were just as lively and healthy as everno sign of illness. Another time, she stopped off at a friends house, shared a few laughs over tea and shortbread, and enjoyed a good old-fashioned natter. Once again, the children remained well.

This became her new ritual. Even on days when she was absolutely knackered and battered by a mountain of chores waiting for her, shed take the long way home. Shed stroll through the little park by her flat, admiring the roses and listening to the fountain. Sometimes shed rest on a bench for a few moments of peace before finally making her way home. And over time, her children stopped falling ill. Just like that.

Dr. Barnes came to a conclusionit wasnt just germs she had to worry about, but the kind of energy or information she was bringing home. She reckoned it was the invisible weight of her difficult workher stress, her worriesthat affected her children the most. After changing her habits, her home became free from constant illness.

So perhaps, after unpleasant experiences or bad days, theres no need to rush straight home and unintentionally inflict our mood on loved ones. Even without saying a word, we might bring something unwelcome with us. Its often wiser to change the sceneto go for a walk in the park or watch a film to lift your spiritsbefore returning to your family. Scientists are still studying exactly how this works, but one things for sure: a stroll past the flower beds or an adventure with Indiana Jones is sometimes all it takes before heading home to those dearest to us.