In my dream last night I was sitting outside, on a sandy cliff, hanging out with President Obama's lovely young advisors. There was no one there I recognized, but I knew who they were. They were all smart, kind, rational, relational and good looking. In the dream I felt so grateful to be hanging out with them. They really took me in, acted like I was one of them. In the dream the wind was blowing, but I had a colorful silk scarf that I held up against my nose and mouth to protect me from the blowing sand. It was such a sweet dream.
I know, I KNOW, the health care bill is a quagmire that will take a lot of time to sift through and straighten out. The significant thing to remember, I think, is that the inertia of reform has been cranked into gear. As my beloved Isaac Newton said,
The vis insita, or innate force of matter is a power of resisting, by which every body, as much as in it lies, endeavors to preserve in its present state, whether it be of rest, or of moving uniformly forward in a straight line.
Though it's true that there's a lot of friction surrounding the new law, friction that will inevitably slow its forward motion, the important thing is to remember that it's in motion now. Indeed I am grateful, and I do feel "seen" and protected in a way I haven't since I had employer-provided health insurance. Let's see ... that was 1993 ... so it has been awhile.
What I'm most grateful for is the fact that I don't have to try to figure out how to make the new law work. Oh my god, can you imagine the complications? Yikes. My job is to be patient, supportive, and compassionate for the next little while. I am avoiding all the hideous hatefulness running rampant around the news media right now, all the reports of lawsuits and how so many Americans don't want this, etc. etc. It's a part of our angry national character that makes us so eager to predict doom. We would rather vent our spleens than succeed, I guess. My goodness.
As the immigration reform marchers said (on the signs they carried): CHANGE TAKES COURAGE.
It surely does!
In a window on Connecticut Ave. NW, just below Dupont Circle.
22 comments:
There does seem to be a lot of anger out there and a tendency to characterize change as evil and apocalyptic with little or no ability to recognize reductio ad absurdum when it stares them in the face.
That amount of rage and fright must not be healthy. Good job you've got (more or less) universal health insurance now.
You know, I think there is much more happiness and support for this than not. It's just that the media is only interested in the complainers and the more virulent the better. If only those happy could be heard by the media.
I too avoid the news.
Thanks for this balanced assessment, Reya. I think a lot of the negativity around this bill is fueled by the 24/7 news cycle, which aims to generate fear and anxiety in order to perpetuate itself. I think more and more people are tuning them out, and tuning in the possibility of positive change.
I too have been avoiding the media. I had no idea how bad things were until I read some of ya'll's blogs. Having done so I have no desire to turn on the news. I can assure you I am much happier watching Elmo with my daughter.
You are right about the need to sit back and be patient and compassionate.
Bile begets sensationalism, and sensationalism makes money. Our culture is so ethically threadbare. Wow.
You hang with the coolest in dreamworld!
That was a quality dream!
Thank you for your rationality. It is very soothing right now. Not only that, but you're absolutely right. Change takes time, but the motion has begun.
I also agree with Ellen. More people want this than the media would have us believe. I just hope now we can reign in the insurance companies.
There's a way in which I almost feel sorry for the insurance companies. There are going to be so many more rules they have to comply with, and justification for so many more lawsuits. What goes around, comes around.
Oh yeah!
Amen to that, Reya.
i hope that goodness prevails and that the many acts of kindness and care that are falling into america's lap are seen as such by a larger group of people. i love james blood ulmer's song "remember the love america". steven
The NHS in England was cobbled togther at first
I do not care if the health insurance companies howl like mad
they should not even exist !!!
hee hee
yes, you do hang with the cool ones in dream world Reya!!
The dream was so so nice! I'm not always hanging around with the in-crowd in my dreams, but last night was great.
Steven! I LOVE James Blood Ulmer. Wow. Hadn't thought about him in ages. Thanks for this!
There is an amazing amount of negativity to a plan that is quite conservative at its core. Does that correlate with having pundits and politicians of the Fox variety call it socialism?
I stay way away from Faux news. I stay away from all kinds of news these days, but especially the ones that get me all worked up. Whew!!
reya years back when i used to show up every time james blood passed through toronto i lucked out one time and ended up sharing some jerk goat with him at a jerk pit after a gig. a friend of mine visited him in new york and spent time with him. what a cool wicked singer and guitarist. oh my oh my. his music still blasts out of my speakers here. steven
Steven his music is blasting out of my speakers right now! Thank you for reminding me. Wow.
courage is necessary for all righteous causes!!
dream on sweet reya...
btw, were your ears burning monday? john (of rfb stated that he really, really would have loved to have met you during his east coast trip!) I told him that you are indeed as wonderful as he imagines!!!
namaste
It is true. It is hard to get a thing into motion, but one moving, difficult to stop.
Loved Kimmy's comment,BTW.
What a lovely dream!
(The window w/the banner is in my old stomping grounds. :) )
Hope you can stay calm and balanced amidst all that crazy energy there.
What a great poster! I'm so glad to see evidence that some folks are pleased by this bill -- because the national debate DOES seem to emphasize the naysayers.
That amount of rage and fright must not be healthy. Good job you've got (more or less) universal health insurance now.
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