Blessings and Sudden Intimacies by Greg Stidham, M.D. is a beautiful gift, not only for medical professionals but for everyone who cares about humanity. In this book, readers follow the thoughts and experiences of a Pediatric Intensivist, Dr. Greg Stidham, as he looks back through a career of thirty years. This is a book that assembles the author's experiences and they offer a whole new meaning to the word “encounter.” The author writes about moments with parents of children, young patients, health workers, and more. From heartwarming moments to sharing grief, the author brings to life stories from both personal and professional life in this book.

From his encounter with patients to the sudden crisis in his marriage, Greg Stidham lifts the veil of our humanity to show readers how seemingly ordinary encounters can be blessings. He is great at capturing human emotions, from looking at parents fretting because their child is in a critical condition to receiving news that one's wife is suicidal. This is a book that will illuminate the hearts of readers, and it is interesting to see how the author shares his world with them, bringing to them stories that will inspire and characters they will want to hug. Blessings and Sudden Intimacies is a collection of real stories; they are delightful and infused with humanity, in turns humorous and focused. I enjoyed the beautiful prose and the author's economy of words. This book entertains and yet makes readers think of what they make of their encounters with others. Stidham illustrates with these stories that we can always look past the brokenness of the humanity of others to discover well-springs of life, hope, and happiness.