The Right Thing

Today we hope the Health Care Bill becomes reality. In speaking to Wolfy about it, I said, "I hope we as a country do the Right Thing." What is that really? What is the Right Thing? For me the right thing is to get everyone covered. I'm ultimately a socialist. I believe that you can't really be spiritual and also believe that everyone can fend for themselves. It mystifies me, really. Why do I care about my neighbor? Somewhere deep inside I feel they are my brother. How many people would be against this if they were in need of these services? The gap of have/have nots is growing. Yet, I'm confronted again today by a person who just wants "what is his".

Here are 2 ways to look at money. One is that the money is mine-I earned it. If I am asked to give you some, I think, "What? This is my money, how much do I have to give you? I have $100 dollars and you want $10? That only leaves me with $90!"

Or: My father gave me $100. He asked me to please give my brother $10 and to keep the rest. I feel compelled to say, "he's my brother, are you sure that's all he needs?" I still have $90. $90-that was a big gift! Big difference.

Last done in 2000, the World Health organization ranking of the health systems of the world, the Unites States ranked 37th, below Costa Rica and Dominica. Our system is broken. A world superpower, we are not really caring for our people. If you want to grow old and be healthy, move to Iceland. We were 24th in Healthy Life Expectancy.

Yet, there are those who will try hard to attach their own stipulations, greed and agendas to this bill because they sense the wave of pressure riding with it. Their Right Thing is different than my Right Thing.

My studio families are deciding what is the Right Thing for their spring schedules. What would be the easy decision for many has become a very thought provoking choice for them regarding the honors concert.

Tomorrow I am taking my parents to visit my brother and his wife in Ann Arbor. Rather than take a more southerly route, I decided that the Right Thing was to help my folks to get out of town. It's a 12 hour ride. It's not a warm and sunny destination. We are going to take the train-chugga chugga woot woot! This way we can travel, with no pressure of driving through Chicago, Gary, Indiana, or potty breaks. There is food, movies, and some card playing in my future. We plan to see the campus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor while we're there. Is it right to take Mom and Dad away from their doctor and travel so far? I believe they need this desperately. They haven't left their home since August, and used to be so footloose and fancy free. I think I'm doing the Right Thing. Some might disagree.

I applied once upon a time to the Ann Arbor piano graduate program. I wasn't accepted there probably because I performed terribly and was an hour late. Young kid that I was, I forgot that they are an hour ahead of my time zone! So I drove and drove but never changed my clock. Huh, oops! That bad news turned out to be the Right Thing for my career; I loved my time in Connecticut and The Hartt School of Music was a good choice for me.

How can we know what is the Right Thing, for ourselves, for the future, for health care? All I know is that what we have right now is the Wrong thing and it's time for a change for the better. Those who can not speak for themselves are hoping we do the Right Thing.