“I had open heart surgery recently,” a man told me while sipping tea and nibbling a cookie at a social event. This was a first meeting. Minutes earlier, get-acquainted pleasantries were exchanged. He spoke quietly about an event that was high in his awareness. I sensed he wanted someone else to know about it and invited him to tell me more. “I had an uncommon feeling in the front part of my left shoulder,” the man said. “It was hardly noticeable, so I disregarded it. Some time later, I experienced a similar, more intense sensation again. This time I went to my family physician. He examined me and said, ‘Go to the hospital right away! I’ll call ahead so they will be ready for you.’” Extensive surgery was necessary. The surgery was successful, and here he was to tell a part of that story. “Most of us know many of the signs of a heart attack,” he said. “It is the small, subtle, initial symptoms that are so important,” he continued.