Thursday, June 28, 2012

CAUTION: Health Care Reform. I just can't stand the callous way we speak about others.

Caution: You are about to get a whole crap ton of my opinion on this matter. Proceed at your own peril and understand that this is absolutely a built up frustrated rant on the subject and chances are, something will disagree with you.

You've been warned. 

ON MY MIND
Lot's of people talking about Obamacare today. It saddens me that issues of the constitution, political views, and who everyone is going to vote for in the upcoming election aside...what really strikes me about a lot of the comments I have heard today is what sounds like a lack of humanity, a lack of love for our neighbor, a viewpoint that seems to care little if anything for those less fortunate than us.

THE WAY I SEE IT (Seriously, WARNING and sorry about any language you might find offensive, I'm feeling offended too.)
I cannot believe at the end of the day, any "hard working american" should complain about helping someone in need receive healthcare. How jaded have we become that we are now a society that sees thiefs and pickpockets when we should see say single parents, students, the elderly, and all other types of the thousands of Americans who have matter of fact, worked their asses off and still may for multiple reasons receive no healthcare.

And since I am being judged severely for feeling the way that I do and have been called many unkind things, I will say what is on my heart, I Am Ashamed for us, that we appear to see and care for only what will benefit us, and refusing to look past ourselves. My "hard earned money" has always and will continue to go to many things I don't support or agree with, and if I could choose among them, I would definitely choose to support and provide healthcare for those that are not as fortunate as I.

We live in a society where we are sold the classic dream of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We "earn" what we have and people who don't have what we have clearly haven't worked hard enough for it and don't deserve it. Well, while I'm sure like anything else, there are people who fall into this category, for the most part, that's just entitled crap. Anyone who's lived a life of hard, grueling work and maybe still were struggling below the poverty line and didn't receive health care or any of the other benefits "slackers didn't deserve"; can I get an AMEN.

(And seriously if I hear one more person who has never in their entire lives really wanted for anything and certainly never had to live off food stamps talk about how others should just live off food stamps.....AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH. Please enlighten me on how are some kind of expert on the subject...)

Not only is it crap, but it's just plain ignorant for anyone to think that we all have the exact same opportunities. As it was once explained to me, even if you started out literally shoveling shit to get where you are today, someone let you and payed you to shovel their shit, so don't think for one instant that you did it "all by yourself". To live in a world where inequalities don't exist and all you have to do is "work hard" is a privilege not accessible to all.

DON'T GET ME WRONG, I UNDERSTAND, IT'S MY MONEY TOO.
I understand that it's your money, that it's my money. I understand that you worked hard for it, that I worked hard for it. I understand that we are weary of being taken advantage of by crooks and con-artists and I understand that we are worried about our own loved ones and taking care of them. But please, don't talk to me about your views on Obamacare if you are going to insist on talking in only monetary terms or showing me how much of a constitutional expert you are and leaving out the bit about the people we are discussing being living, breathing, human beings with certain unalienable rights. (In my opinion, good health and subsequently health care is one of them).

Call me a communist, socialist, idealist, child, hippie, whatever the new trendy term to throw around is when someone tries to speak up for the actual people involved in the discussion who already have less than us who are privileged enough to have our voice heard; until you have a better solution, they can have that small portion of my money to live a healthier happier life, I give it gladly and freely.

Maybe we should all stop and just love each other a little more.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Forever Young

Maybe it's because my June graduation from university has yet to really sink in.

Maybe it's because I find myself at the beginning of a new journey as I fit myself into the position of "adult" and start to worry about paying off debt and building good credit.

Maybe, just maybe it's because I dreamed last night of things I haven't done in ages like pick huckleberries for hours, or blackberries until my fingers were stained purple for days, or raspberries until my hands prickled with little thorns; or wade through a creek bed looking for crawdads to catch; or swim in a genuine swimming hole, or sit by the river and marvel at lady bugs come to mate so thick on the bank that it's nothing but a sea of red. Or spending a little time with my grandfather who always had time for me to hunt for morel mushrooms behind the ranch house, or have a good old fashioned bacon eggs and hash browns breakfast at the local diner, or take me to the big city for some retail therapy. Or things like bake sales and lemonade stands and bike rides, hula hoops, gemstone friends, pinkie promises and whispered confidences.


Maybe it's a combination of all of these things and the beautiful sunshine today that always makes my step feel lighter.


Whatever it is, as I spent today unpacking, organizing, washing clothes, scrubbing walls and running errands; I thought about youth. I thought about eyes that see wonder and beauty in everything. My eyes that used to look at a passing ice cream truck without suspicion. The child I was for an instant that had seen ugly things and yet still saw more good than bad around me. The child that implicitly trusted and could eat a chocolate bar completely guilt free and believed in magic. 


And I thought about adulthood. With bills and credit card statements, responsibilities, mood swings, and that extra ten pounds and I decided that although I wouldn't go backwards for anything, and I'm loving where I am right now, the not so secret secret must really be to stay young at heart. 


So I giggled and popped the bubble wrap I pulled out of the unpacked boxes today and turned the radio up and danced when I did the dishes and I took my shoes off and walked through the grass on the way to the grocery store and bought that little tub of cream cheese frosting that I really just want to eat with a spoon....and it was absolutely glorious.


And now, all that's left for me to do it wish you all that fresh feeling of childhood in the smallest of things and all of the happiness life can bring. 


P.S. In the midst of about 4 or 5 fairly big projects, can't wait to share! :-D


Have A Beautiful Day!