I Choose OBAMA-BIDEN on November 6th

It’s Sunday night (10:17pm) and it will be almost one day before Election Day. I am ready for the vote, and for my voice to be heard. There are THREE main reasons to why I am voting for the OBAMA-BIDEN ticket. First, Being a healthcare provider, Healthcare reform (or Obama-care) was important to me, NOT only from what I have seen BUT what I have experienced as a patient. I have been a victim of the insurance company stating that they could not cover my pre-existing condition, and I would have to wait for 6 months to a year. I was not happy, especially being that I was still learning to live with being an asthmatic. And what happens if I had an asthmatic attack? Yes, I would get the medical care that I desired but it's the medical costs that I would worry about. And at the time, it was not my fault that I developed asthma, I worked hard, ate right, exercised, and slept 6-8 hours a night. But my body was tired and worn in dealing with the Oklahoma environmental conditions, and was susceptible to asthma. There will be more people covered with health insurance under Affordable Care Act. Another reason to support the Affordable Care Act, it will NOT allow the healthcare community to discriminate on who should receive the care in regards to procedures. As healthcare professionals, we treat people differently, not just the patients but the families too. And too many times, we fail to see the bigger picture. We are too fast to judge, making quick decisions regardless to what the patient or/and the family wants from us. We see ourselves as "GOD" when we are human beings with the education and skills to help our fellow man or woman. The choice is not ours, the insurance companies, politicians...BUT to the patients and the people to whom they choose to have involved in their healthcare and life, and we must respect their wishes and their decisions. Communication is vital between the healthcare provider, the patient, and our loved ones in what their healthcare wishes. And if there is a problem in caring or respecting the patients’ wishes, then we must take ourselves off their case. An 89-year-old deserves to have an angioplasty as much as the 20- or 30 something person for whatever that the reason is (i.e. so that s/he can have those extra months or years to see her/his grandchildren graduate from high school or college). We, as healthcare providers, do NOT have the right to choose for our patients, as we don't have the right to tell them what to do regarding their bodies, leading to my second reason... Women's rights. I am a woman. But I am NOT pro-life or pro-choice. I am PRO-EDUCATION. We need not only to teach but HELP and MAKE AVAILABLE sources for preventable health, and not just to the privileged few. Planned Parenthood and other programs like this are very good concepts/ideas. We need to not only promote sex education, but health education, in the schools starting at the kindergarten level. We start simple, (such as inappropriate touching), to more complex (high school). At the same time, we need to respect each other, our cultures, and our beliefs. As Joe Biden stated in the Vice Presidential debate, it is not right of him to push his beliefs onto other. It is their choice. We must talk to each other, NOT at each other. We must respect our patients' choice even IF it does not reflect our own beliefs. If they choose to live a "destructive" life, it's their choice; we can only educate and make available the resources that they may need to help them to live a healthy life. And remember, GOD gives us choices every day. EVE was given a choice, and SHE chose to “trick” ADAM to eat the forbidden fruit. But if she had chosen not to do this, would we be here? The ability to choose is who we are, and what sets us apart as human beings. Now for the last reason for voting for the OBAMA-BIDEN ticket. I have watched the conventions, the debates, the endless ads, and fact checked. I have listened to FOX and MSNBC news. I have realized that the Republicans have only one agenda. They have stated from the beginning of Obama's term in 2008 that their goal is to make Obama a one-term President. I see that as being sore losers. Romney and the Republicans have lied and opposed each other to achieve their goal. And listening to the early voting turnouts, and those states that are led by Republican governors, they are changing the times to when early voting is taking place or they are not prepared for the huge numbers of people coming to vote. It sounds like a repeat of Bush vs. Gore in 2000. The bottom line: Romney-Ryan ticket brings deceit, and their agenda is clear (in my view) that they only want to fulfill their goal in making Obama a one-term President. Therefore, I choose the OBAMA-BIDEN ticket. One last thought and question, why is it that we, as a society, become "connected" during natural disasters but "divided" on the political issues? In my mind, there is NO difference. We are human beings helping each other with no thoughts to our cultures or beliefs, striving for the same goals, happiness, health, and peace. So I end with one of my favorite quotes… “for a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life but there was always some obstacle in the way. something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served. a debt to be paid. at last it dawned on me that these obstacle were my life. this perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. happiness is the way. so treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination." (Souza)

would you have stopped??

I rec'd this email from a friend, and wondered what I would have done?? Would I have stopped or continued to walk like so many... running to catch a train, or something? Then I wondered... is LIFE so hectic that we can't stop to enjoy it? Maybe the current economic crisis... and the past economic crisis... is just that.. "someone" is telling us to slow down, and really think what our priorities are in life?? I don't know... but I'm hoping that IF I do hear / see something... I will investigate and enjoy... It's time to "smell the roses." So now, I ask you... after you have read this... what would you have done??

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

45 minutes:The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.He collected $32.

1 hour: He had finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ....

How much beauty, joy, love do we fail to appreciate?

Have you ever wondered...?

How did the phase, “behind every man is a great woman” become so famous? I never really stopped to think about it, but I do use at my own convenience. Today is Shivaratri, and as I was searching on “google” for a picture of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, I came upon this story.

“One day, Lord Shiva became very angry and cursed that, “there shall not be any rain for 12 years on the Earth, and people will die.” People believed him.

As Lord Shiva and his wife, Goddess Parvati, were walking one day after the curse, they came upon a peasant who was plowing the fields. Both Lord Shiva and the peasant stopped their activity, and the following conversation began:Lord Shiva: “Hey foolish man. Don’t you know I am Shiva?”

The peasant: “Then what?”

Lord Shiva: “Don’t you see that I have cursed the Earth that there’ll be no rain for 12 years.”

The peasant: “Then what?”

Lord Shiva: “Why are you plowing the field?”

The peasant: “What is it to you?” You did what you did, I do what I do.”

Lord Shiva: “I don’t understand.”

The peasant: “You are the Lord of the three worlds. You are Lord Shiva. You are the deliverer of the mankind, you don’t understand this little stuff?”

Lord Shiva: “I don’t.”

The peasant: “Look, you have cursed that you won’t blow the conch for 12 years and there shall be no rain. All right? That’s true, and it will happen. I know it. There shall be no rain for 12 years, there shall be drought, and you are asking why I am plowing the land. I may die. I may not live for 12 years. Then why am I plowing the land? Because, I don’t want to forget my good habit. I want to keep my muscles. I want to keep going. I want to be. I don’t care if you are the Lord of the Universe or not. You may be the God yourself but I want to tell you that I’ll still plow the land.”

Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva’s wife, was observing the encounter, and spoke to Lord Shiva:

“IF this man can forget the habit in 12 years, maybe you will also forget to play the conch in 12 years.”

Lord Shiva replied to his wife: “I cannot forget anything. What are you talking

about?”

Goddess Parvati: “All right, then play the conch. You say that you will not forget it. Play!”

Lord Shiva played the conch, and rain came down like “cats and dogs.” And Lord Shiva shouted, “Look at what you did! You tricked me into playing the conch!” Parvati then replied, “No, I just wanted to know whether you would really be like this little peasant of yours, and be able to forget a good habit, therefore you may also forget it. And see, you played the conch, and the rains came.” And the peasant replied to the Lord, “you see, it’s always good to have a good woman around.”

As it has came from centuries to our present day,

“Behind a great throne, there sits the goddess of the throne.”