It is just an ancient ID Badge, circa 1994. In the tiny constellation of my family, it has meaning because we treasure symbols of memory. This was preserved by my dear wife. 

   Most discard or dismiss family relics. Many career successors do the same with legacies. Too bad. Relics release memories. Legacies transform those who honor them. 

   The "P" triangle on my old badge stands for "Partners," the word we used to describe all caregiving colleagues (versus "employees" or "associates.")

   The pin adjoining it is a ten year service award. The "Life Choices" logo honors our T.V. show that was international, not just local.

   Below Riverside Hospitals (plural to signal the goal that all hospitals would practice the "RMH Way") is "A U.S. Health affiliate." My successor changed it to OhioHealth. I hoped we would become nationally honored for loving caregiving just as we became known by millions via our televised health message. That remains possible using the existing structure. 

   My ID title of CEO leaves out "President." I awarded that to Nancy Schlicting. The tiny words at bottom remain OhioHealth's value statement: "We honor the dignity and worth of each person."  

   No trivia says what the badge truly means. When I hold it I feel the presence of thousands of partners and hundreds of thousands of patients, families and community members whose lives we Partners touched from 1983-1995.

   That, for me, converts the old badge into a sacred family relic. A letter carrying a million memories and some legacies as well. 

-Erie Chapman