Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Fear


Health care in America is one of the big issues in the news right now. The debate is fierce. What I see very clearly is that fear plays an enormous part in how people are processing their ideas about this issue. Many of our news stations are not news but entertainment with a definite agenda. Personalities on these stations and talk shows are in it for their own personal gain.

They are using fear to try to manipulate the masses and are very effective. I have tried to understand the issues and I'm happy we are doing something to give millions of people the opportunity to have health coverage. Heck, if we are all required to purchase it, then so be it. It will help so many millions of people in an enormous way that unless you are in their situation, it's hard to even come near to understanding. We cannot allow insurance companies to prohibit someone with a pre-existing condition from getting health insurance. The people I hear complaining aren't even going to be effected much by the changes. Trouble is, they do not believe our government and the crazy lunatic talk radio personalities are spreading the distrust and fear so that it is beyond containing. People seem to have lost their minds. These media personalities are whipping up people to disbelieve, doubt, fear and wring our hands. The manipulation is very powerful and... very effective. Even when told the truth about what the plan will do or not do ... they don't want to believe it.

I for one am glad we can begin to help those who cannot get insurance because they have had cancer or other serious illnesses in the past and will quite possibly be inflicted again. I am glad someone who becomes disabled and loses their job will still be able to get health insurance for their family and not deplete all their earthly possessions just to pay for medical services. The suffering that has occurred by those who are already devastated by illness has been compounded with the worry of what will happen to them and their families as the result of thousands upon thousands of dollars of medical expenses... Multitudes forgo getting treatment because they cannot afford it.

This all hits very, very, very close to home with me on many different levels.... with a daughter and with my husband. So many people have stories of pain and incredible anxiety in our country. I have seen almost no mercy from the critics of the current health care reform bill. I have been voting Republican for most of my life. I am ashamed now at what I am seeing and hearing. I am now seeing a party that desperately wants their power back and they are using fear to sway the masses. Many people though have been living with a lot of fear for a very long time. They have felt abandoned by their government who hasn't heard their voices to make changes. I do understand how people who are just fine with the way things are don't want to REALLY look into the eyes of those who are desperately hurting. We start believing things that aren't true just to ease our conscience to believing we don't have to DO anything to help. I've been there too.

My own husband has been treated for cancer for 18 months. His employer offers wonderful medical insurance and we have paid very little for treatment so far, but it has added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. How can we look the other way and not strive to help someone else? What if we had no insurance when all this began? I shutter to think of what the consequences would have been. Now we are faced with more treatments, probably for the rest of his life. If he were to become disabled what then? Who would insure him then? This health care bill will benefit us if the need should arise. The burden on so many Americans is so great. It grieves me that so many have such closed hearts to only see the small price they have to pay in order to help a fellow human being. Our hearts are so hard. The Republicans are hollering loud now but where were they the last 8+ years when they had the opportunity to help fix this problem. Our President was then spending taxpayer money on invading a foreign country. Constitutional? Hmmm.... I see people just out for themselves. It all needs to be tweaked. I pray it will get better. But we cannot wait around forever for politicians to act, to make changes, to help OUR people.

I cannot understand why people are acting so strongly with fear and anger about giving people the ABILITY to purchase health care. I know I am not very eloquent with my writing, but there are people, many good, hardworking, hurting people, some very close to me, who have not been able to pay for medical attention or medications because of pre-existing conditions. Some have jobs that do not offer the option to even pay for coverage themselves. We like and expect waitresses to wait on us when we go to restaurants, right? We want people in certain occupations to help us out when we want their services, but many of them do not have nor can they afford to pay for health insurance. What if they all went away? Let's show all people respect. Maybe it has not been personal to these people, maybe they are angry at something else entirely in their lives and are not really focusing on what the issue is .... because I cannot for the life of me understand the callousness of many.

Fear. My main thought in all of this is not to be controlled by fear. Many are pushing it on to us in order to manipulate our thinking. Oh my gosh, the things I hear on the "news" shows are horrid and irresponsible. Fear is a highly effective, insidious and deceptive tactic designed to manipulate our sensibilities. Socialism? That's a bit much. Pleeeeeease..... Come on now! Let's give it a chance....

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Quotes

I've always been a lover of wise thoughts and ideas. I have loved the book of Proverbs in the Bible for it's ability to make me think and bring me to greater heights of thought. I have a love for truth and understanding. I love to read quotations of others who have lived long ago and yet their words live on and still ring true today.

Today I read a few that touched me because I thought of those who lived and died and yet believed. They had lives and joys and hardships and loved and hurt and hoped ... just like I do.

I thought of Jim Elliott who was martyred at age 28 in Ecuador who said "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." He also said, "Wherever you are, be all there." A simple thought but so powerful. I've been with people who aren't with you fully. They can be in your physical presence but far from you in spirit or purpose or thought.

I read words on love by Henry Ward Beecher who lived in the 1800's. "Young love is a flame, often very hot and fierce but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals deep-burning, unquenchable". I know the love of which he speaks. I am thankful for someone who loves me deeply and whom I deeply love.

If only I could understand and fully believe others like "When we believe that God is Father we also believe that such a Father's hand will never cause his child a needless tear. We might not understand life any better, but we will not resent life any longer." (William Barclay) I am still working on this. I see such pain and suffering and sickness.... I want to believe that God has a purpose and will make things right one day. I wrestle with believing without seeing. I wrestle with faith. I wrestle with surrendering. "If a man fights his way through his doubts to the conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord he has attained to a certainty that the man who unthinkingly accepts things can never reach." (I guess I like William Barclay.)

I especially like this quote by Billy Graham regarding heaven.... "God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there." A thought I can hold onto. One that makes simple... sense!

Hope is alive with this quote by Charles Swindoll. He said "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities disguised as impossible situations." Who can't relate to that?

Just some of my thoughts today....

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Purpose

Joy. Peace. Love. Contentment. Fear. Anxiety. Hatred. Words are powerful. They have the power to help and to heal. To build up or tear down. Words of tenderness from a loved one can change a horrible situation into something you're able to deal with. I really want to choose to use words of comfort and encouragement more than words of judgement and condemnation. I know I have often hurt others with my words in the past and I'm saddened by that. Maybe I'd do it again if I were in the same situations, but I like to think I'd be more kind.

I ponder what life is about. What each of us should strive for. Where do our treasures lie? The Bible says not to lay up treasures on earth, but in heaven. What does that even mean? Oh, I've heard numerous sermons on the subject. It is easy to see how "stuff" quickly becomes old and even useless. The more stuff we own it seems the more it owns us. I think life should be lived with purpose, but what does that mean? I'd like to strive for world peace, cure cancer, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, bring hope to the hopeless ... but I'm just one person and it all seems overwhelming.

Yesterday as I walked from my car to the grocery store a lady called out to me from her car. She was standing next to her open door and asked me if I could bring her a shopping cart which I happily did. She couldn't walk very well and needed the cart for support as she walked from her car to the store. Our days are sprinkled with things like this. People in our little universe who benefit from our existence. People in our families, in our homes, in our workplace. Random people we meet each day. I really want to be a Noticer. To live my life with a sense of purpose. The world doesn't stop when I'm in pain. It continues to revolve and people go on with their lives irregardless of what I am going through. There are many times I feel anxiety and fear, but I want my life filled with more love, peace, joy and contentment.... and to spread it around.